A Descriptive Floristic Study of the Asteraceae of Peer-Panchal Range of Kashmir Himalayas, their Ethno-medicinal Importance and Threat Status

The Pir-Panchal Range of Kashmir Himalayas was explored for two years (2017- 2019) in different seasons to carry out a preliminary study of the floristic diversity of Asteraceae. A total of 19 species of the family were found in the study area. Ten flowering specimens of each species were photographed in their habitat, uprooted, dried, pressed and mounted on herbarium sheets and stored in the Simnan Herbarium of Department of Botany, Govt. Degree College, Kulgam. Information regarding the species were collected in terms of their ethno-medicinal and folk uses in the range. All 19 species have immense medicinal importance in curing a number of diseases. The study also aimed to assess the origin and the IUCN threat status of the species through different online databases and e-floras. According to IUCN definition of threat categories, the threat status of 10 species is not evaluated, five species are threatened, three species are least concern, and only Calendula officinalis is critically endangered. Similarly, 14 species are exotic and only five species are native to the country. There are nine, seven and three annual, perennial and biennial species, respectively.

Author(s): Shakir Ahmad1, Mudassir Ahmad Bhat2, and Sheikh Abdul Shakoor3*

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