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Medicinal Plant Research 2014, Vol.4, No.7, 55
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60
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threatened or rare on the basis of literature or
herbarium specimen. No work has been done in the
research area according to IUCN red list categories or
criteria. This study is a small effort to record the
conservation status of the research area.
Methodology
Study area
The Tehsil Katlang lies from 32
0
06
0
to 32
0
21
0
North
latitudes and 61
0
46
0
to 62
0
25
0
East longitudes. It is
bounded on the north by swat district, on the east by
district of Buner, on the South by mardan city of
district Mardan and on the west by Tehsil Takht Bhai.
The total area is 1098573km. The research area is very
fertile. It is a great sate of Gandhara remains. It may
broadly be divided into two parts, the North-East hills
and the South-West plains (Figure 1). The entire
northern side of the research area is bounded by the
hills. The summer season is extremely hot. A steep
rise of temperature is observed from May to June.
During May and June, dust storms are frequent at
night. Due to usual cultivation and irrigation, the
environment is humid. The relative humidity is quite
high throughout the year while maximum humidity
has been recorded in August. Maximum temperature
(41.50
0
C) and rainfall (125.85 mm) are recorded in
June and August respectively (Khan et al., 2011; 2014b).
Figure 1 Research site of the study area
Field survey
The study was conducted by frequently surveying in
spring, summer and winter during 2008 to 2012. The
area is divided into plain and mountain. Habit, habitat,
altitudinal range, population size, distribution range,
impacts of multiple threats like habitat destruction,
erosion, fuel wood cutting, grazing, poultry farms and
invasive species have been studied for four years in
the habitat.
Plant collection and determination
Plant specimens were collected from different part of
research area. The population size was determined by
counting the mature individuals. The seedlings were
also counted separately. Nature of habitat was
analysed by soil erosion, invasive species and impacts
of anthropogenic activities (Khan, 2013).
Questioner development
Information on demographic (age, gender) and
conservation status was gathered from each site by
using a semi-structured questionnaire (Table 1). Due
to the low education level or lack of
understanding of the English language of most
individuals, the structured questionnaires were
discussed on an individual basis and explained by an
interpreter. The results were then transcribed by the
interpreter as many could not write. The plants were
classified according to their economic value through
interviewing and filling questionnaires from drug
dealers, shopkeepers, fuel wood seller, local hakims,
and farmers but priority was given to local elderly
people and Hakims who were the real users and had a
lot of information about the plants and their
conservation status. Information about the availability
of plant, collection of plant, growth of plant, plant part
i.e. root, stem etc, local uses of the species as
medicinal, fuel wood, timber and fodder etc were
obtained through random sampling by interviewing
500 respondents from different aged and young
gender and sex. During survey personal observation
was also recorded (Figure 2). The data was collected
through following formula (Khan, 2013): CSP=A+C+
G+P.
Analysis of data was made with the help of group
discussions (Figure 3) and questioners among
different age classes of Tehsil Katlang that include
both genders of the society. The data was classified,
tabulated, analyzed and concluded for final report.