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IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANTS OF CHITRAL GOL NATIONAL PARK (CGNP) PAKISTAN

NASRULLAH KHAN¹, MOINUDDIN AHMED¹, AJAZ AHMED² S.S. SHAUKAT¹, MUHAMMAD WAHAB¹, MUHAMMAD AJAIB³  MUHAMMAD FAHEEM SIDDIQUI¹ AND MUHAMMAD NASIR

Abstract: National Parks are diverse habitat for different medicinal plants. So far 21 areas in Pakistan have been declared as National Parks (NP). The present investigations focus on the ethnobotanical study of important medicinal plants of Chitral Gol National Park. The local inhabitants including ethnic groups of Kalash living in the vicinity of the Park have always used the medicinal herbs for various ailments and are dependent on the plants in their surrounding for, food, shelter, health, medicine, fodder and various cultural purposes. A total of 31 trees, herbs and shrubs belonging to 21 families were recorded which are used as fuel, fence and as medicine by the local inhabitants. About 100 informants and local Hakims were interviewed in this regard.  Artemisia maritima, Artemisia brevifolia and Rosa webbiana are dominant species suitable for harvesting, while Ephedra gerardiana and Ferula narthex are vulnerable to harvesting.  The precious ethnobotanical knowledge is disappearing very fast, so this study could be helpful in conservation of ethnobotanical knowledge.  

¹Laboratory of Dendrochronology and Plant Ecology Department Botany, Federal Urdu University Karachi Pakistan

²Directorate of non timber forest products KPK, Pakistan

³Department of Botany, GC University, Lahore, Pakistan

⁴ Department of Botany University of Malakand KPK, Pakistan