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Indigenous uses of economically important flora of Margallah Hills National Park, Islamabad, Pakistan


A Jabeen
MA Khan
M Ahmad
M Zafar
F Ahmad

Abstract

Informal interviews provided data about 245 useful plants of 77 families of 55 trees, 54 shrubs, 105 herbs, 15 climber, 10 grasses and 6 crops recorded from the Margallah Hills National Park, Islamabad.
Two hundred and fifteen local/ vernacular names were noted of total plants. The inhabitants of the park have for a long time been dependent on surrounding plant resources for their food, health care, fodder,
fuel wood and other cultural purposes. A list of plant species along with their local name, plant part/s used, popular uses (or troubles treated) are given. The pastoral nomads of the area make use of 159
(64.89%) as native medicine, 79 (32.24%) as fodder for their livestock, 47(19.18%) as fuelwood, 33 (13.46%) as food (fruits), 18 (7.34%) as vegetables, 14 (5.71%) as timber, 6 (2.44%) as industrial, 4 (1.63%) as tannin, 3 (1.22%) as gum and 2 (0.81%) as fiber. Medicinal uses of the 126 plant species have also been described. This information will serve as reference for the benefit of pharmacists, researchers, Hakims (herbalist), veterinarians and public at large.

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eISSN: 1684-5315