ECOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF PLANT RESOURCES AND VEGETATION STRUCTURE OF CHAIL VALLEY, DISTRICT SWAT, PAKISTAN
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Date
2017
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY
Abstract
Thepresent study was carried out during 2012-2015 to enumerate the floristic
and ecological characteristics of plants of Chail Valley, District Swat. A total of 463
species were recorded belonging to 104 families. Leading families were Asteraceae (42
Spp.), Poaceae (35 Spp.), Rosaceae and Lamiaceae (each with 26 Spp.), Papilionaceae
(25 Spp.), Brassicaceae and Boraginaceae (each with 16 Spp.), Apiaceae (14 Spp.).
Solanaceae (13 Spp.) and Ranunculaceae (12 Spp.). Each of the remaining families had
less than 12 species. Therophytes were dominantlife form with 188 species (40.60%)
followed by hemicryptophytes (77 species, 16.63%) while Cuscuta europaea, C.
reflexa and Viscum album (Mistletoe) were the three shoot parasites. The leaf spectra
was dominated by mesophylls (147 Spp; 31.75%) followed by microphylls (140 Spp.;
30.24%) and nanophylls (136 Spp.; 29.37%). Two species were aphyllous. Majority of
the species (305 Spp., 65.87%) had simple lamina while eight species (1.73%) had
spiny leaves.