ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDIES OF THE FLORA OF TEHSIL BIRMAL IN SOUTH WAZIRISTAN AGENCY, PAKISTAN

Ethno-botanical investigations were carried out in the tehsil Birmal of South Waziristan Agency, Pakistan during 2010-11. These investigations resulted in an exploration of 72 plant species from the area. These species included 49 medicinal plants, 16 forage, 11 fuel wood, nine vegetables, six agriculture tools, six ornamentals, four nectariferous, three tonic, two each for fencing and spices and one each for timber, furniture, confectionary and desserts, narcotic, cosmetic and insect repellent. A total of 30 plant families were recorded from the area, the largest was Lamiaceae, represented by nine species, Asteraceae by eight, Brassicaceae, Cucurbitaceae and Malvaceae by five, Chenopodiaceae by four, Apiaceae, Moraceae, Liliaceae, Fagaceae and Asclepiadaceae by three, Alliaceae and Mimosaceae were represented by two species. The remaining 17 families including Amaranthaceae, Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Berberidaceae, Caesalpinaceae, Cannabinaceae, Capparidaceae, Celastraceae, Convolvolaceae, Cupressaceae, Ephedraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fumariaceae, Juglandaceae, Meliaceae, Oleaceae and Polygonaceae were all represented by only one species each.