PHYTOGEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE DESERT AREA OF CHOLISTAN, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The medicinal plants are economically beneficial to cure different diseases and have been significant source of many important drugs. The Cholistan desert has arid type climatic conditions with scattered xerophytic vegetation which have been adopted to intensely high temperatures, humidity fluctuations and wide variety of edaphic conditions. In summer, the temperature is extremely high but in winter, it is mostly mild with no frost. Annual rainfall is highly variable both on temporal and spatial scales. The main objective of the present study was to identify the relationship between soil and atmospheric conditions (temperature, rainfall and humidity) on the growth of medicinal plants during winter and summer seasons. Secondary data of rainfall, humidity and temperature was collected from Agriculture extension department of Bahawalpur and Meteorological department, Islamabad. The analysis carried out using quadrate method and locations were marked with Global Positioning System (GPS). The Geographical information system (GIS) software ArcGIS 10.5 used to illustrate the maps of the study area and the quadrates. Four sites were selected on the basis of soil structure Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4. Phytogeographical parameters of plants i.e. frequency, density and cover were recorded during October, 2021, February, 2022 and May, 2022. The relative frequency, relative density, and relative cover were calculated to determine the importance value index (IVI). On the basis of IVI, medicinal plant communities in each quadrat were delineated. The medicinal plant having highest importance value index was considered as leading dominant. Correlation results of Plants with different Soil Types and Rainfall is found positive. The strongest correlation with high R2 value was noted on Interdunal Sandy Soil Area (Q3) and low correlation was existed on Hard Clayey Soil Area (Q4).