SURVEY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN NORTHERN AREAS

Study on medicinal plants of Nanga Parbat Conservancy by Aftab Ismail Khan, IUCN Pakistan (MACP), Northern Areas Program

This study was done in 2002 to determine the economic and medicinal plants (EMPs) of the Nanga Parbat Conservancy. This conservancy is located in the western Himalayas in a transitional zone between alpine and moist temperate zones and is rich in medicinal plants. The conservancy contains parts of Skardu and Diamer districts. This survey identified the following EMPs in this region (Khan, 2002).

Table 5. Economic and Medicinal Plants (EMPs) identified in Nanga Parbat Conservancy

Source: Khan, A.I. 2002. Medicinal and Economic Plants (MEPs): Sustainable use demonstrations in Nanga Parbat Conservancy, Northern Areas. Report. IUCN Pakistan (MACP), Gilgit.

Key
* = Plants growing wild which can be collected in bulk for marketing
** = Plants of commercial value which can be cultivated
R = Rare Species E = Endangered Species MDT = Mushkin, Dushkin, Donyan, and Turbling villages
AV = Astore Valley, includes the villages of Rama, Rattu, Chittinadi, Faqir-kot, Chilum, Sardar Khoti, Burzil, Harcho

Out of these 30 plants, the author has selected the ten most important EMPs which are Bunium persicum, Dioscorea deltoidea, Ephedra gerardiana, Hyppophae rehmnoides, Morchella coniferus, Podophyllum emodi, Sassurea lappa, Thymus serphyllum, Valeriana wallichi and Viola serpens.