Ethnobotanical Appraisal and Conservation Status of Medicinal Plants in Hindukush Range, District Swat, Pakistan

Abstract

This study documented ethnobotanical information of medicinal plants and their conservation status in Chail Valley, Dabargai, Shinko and Bishigram areas in Hindukush range, District Swat, Pakistan during 2012–2016. A total of 174 plants were recorded as ethno-medicinally important. The area represented 167 species of angiosperms (95.97%) and 7 species of gymnosperms (4.02%). Family importance value (FIV) indicated that Lamiaceae (97.94) was the leading family that contributed the largest number of species, followed by Rosaceae (91.09), Solanaceae (83.13), Asteraceae (76.02), Moraceae (70.54), Apiaceae (67.12), and Polygonaceae (60.95). Local inhabitants used them in treating digestive disorders, as tonics, to relieve fever, and to expel worms from the abdomen. The ethnoflora was found to be under severe biotic and abiotic stresses. The data of conservation status revealed that most of the medicinal plants were rare (107 spp.), followed by vulnerable (42 spp.), infrequent (24 spp.) and Melia azedarach as endangered species.