Traditional resource evaluation of some plants of Mastuj, district Chitral, Pakistan

Abstract

The resource evaluation indicated that there were 111 species of 46 families including 39 Dicot (98 spp), 5 monocot (11 spp) and 2 gymnosperms (2 spp.). Family Asteraceae (11 spp.), Papilionaceae (10 spp.) and Rosaceae (9 spp.) were important families in number of species. The traditional uses revealed that there were 90 fodder, 52 medicinal, 40 firewood, 19 vegetable, 15 thatching/fencing, 13 timber and 9 fruit species. Two species including Haloxylon griffithii and Vaccaria pyramidata are used for making soap; while 4 species are used in basketry, 4 species are preferred furniture wood species and some 8 species are used for making agricultural implements. Further study is required to quantify the availability of traditionally important medicinally and forage plants and to suggest the possible management of the natural resources.