Ethnobotanical documentation and quantitative analysis of medicinal flora in Ghazi Baba, Arrang, District Bajaur, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Ethnobotanical knowledge plays an essential role in traditional medicine, livelihood security, and conservation of biodiversity, especially in the mountain regions of Pakistan. But this knowledge is now under threat due to modernization, migration, and lack of documentation. In the present study, the medicinal and other traditional uses of the vegetal species of Ghazi Baba Arrang, District Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan were documented and quantitatively evaluated.

Methods: A total of eight field visits were conducted from April 2023 to March 2024 to gather ethnobotanical information. We purposively selected 36 informants, including 19 traditional healers, 11 indigenous community members, four pregnant women, and two midwives, for semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Plant specimens were collected, taxonomically identified, and deposited in the herbarium of Ghazi Umara Khan Degree College. To evaluate the cultural value of the recorded species, Use Value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), and Relative Importance (RI) were calculated. Life forms, taxonomic groups, plant parts used, and major use categories were also investigated.

Results: We recorded 143 plant species across 118 genera and 55 families. Eudicots accounted for the largest number of species (118, 82.52%), followed by monocots (21, 14.69%), gymnosperms (3, 2.10%), and pteridophytes (1, 0.70%). Herbs were the predominant life form (72 species; 50.35%), followed by trees (39 species; 27.27%) and shrubs (32 species; 22.38%). The families with the highest species diversity were Poaceae and Rosaceae (11 species each), followed by Lamiaceae (9 species), Asteraceae (8 species), Solanaceae (7 species), and Fabaceae (6 species). Fumaria parviflora Lam. and Portulaca umbraticola Kunth exhibited the highest Use Values (UV = 2.7 each). Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed a weak, statistically non-significant relationship between Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) and UV (ρ = −0.089, n = 143, P = 0.292). Medicinal uses represented the largest reported category (55%), followed by fodder (15%) and fuelwood (10%). Leaves were used most often (60 species, 41.67%).

Conclusions: The findings highlight the rich ethnobotanical knowledge preserved by local communities in Ghazi Baba, Arrang, District Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and their continued dependence on locally available plant resources for healthcare and livelihoods. The documented plant species, particularly those with high Use Value (UV) and Relative Importance (RI) values, warrant further phytochemical and pharmacological investigations. Sustainable harvesting practices, community-based conservation initiatives, and the documentation and preservation of indigenous knowledge are essential to ensure the long-term availability and sustainable utilization of these valuable plant resources.

Keywords: Ethnobotany, Medicinal plants, Traditional knowledge, Use Value, Relative Frequency of Citation, Relative Importance, District Bajaur, Pakistan.