The current study describes ethnobotanical (EB) and traditional ethnomedicinal (TEMs) uses of medicinal plants (MPs) of Tehsil Samahni area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Indigenous inhabitants of the area mostly reside in remote mountainous areas and depend on wild plants for life necessities and treatment of different diseases. This paper presents first quantitative ethnobotanical study describing the popularity level of MPs in indigenous communities by using relative popularity level (RPL) and rank order of priority (ROP) indices. The data of TEMs and EB uses were collected from 200 interviewees consisting of traditional herbal practioners (110) and farmers (90) from study area using structured and semi-structured interview methodology during year 2019. It was found that illiterate peasants have more knowledge and practice of TEMs than other people. A total of 150 plant species belonging to 58 families with botanical and local names, parts used, mode of recipes preparation, administration mechanism and TEMs uses were documented in systematic manner. It was explored that highest number (7.69%) of plants of Moraceae were used in TEMs and followed by species of Asteraceae (6.29%). The ethnobotanical data was analyzed by using quantitative ethnobotanical tools viz: informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), relative frequency of citation (RFC), use value index (UVI), relative importance of plants (RIP), relative populatiry level (RPL) and rank order of popularity (ROP). The leaf ranked first (36.49%) and fruit 2nd (12.07%) being used in TEMs while prevalent use-form was decoction (29.28%), followed by tea (23.05%) and preferably taken as oral (46.66%). ICF analysis proved that diabetes, hypertension, rabies, snake sting and joint pains were the most prevalent occurring infirmities. The highest RFC (0.95) was found for Acacia modesta, followed by Boerhavia procumbens (RFC:0.87) and Berberis lycium (RFC:0.85). The relative importance of MPs was calculated by using UVI and Moringa oleifera showed highest (1.38), followed by Zanthoxylum armatum (1.25) and Withania somnifera (1.24) use-values. High UVI of plants depicts that these species are predominantly used in local health care system. The plants Phyllanthus emblica, Morus macruora, Justicia adhatoda and Melia azedarach depicted high values (1.00) of FL and RPL proving that these taxa are commonly used in indigenous medicines by local inhabitants and have better potential for drug discovery by ethnopharmacological analysis. Out of total, 26 species had more than 50% ROP index and Phyllanthus emblica and Flacourtia indica (ROP = 100) followed by Morus macruora (ROP: 97) were used to cure ‘hypertension and hyperlipidemia’ and ‘cough, chest infection’, respectively. It was found that 30% of total species were previously reported as medicinal while 70% plants were first time reported to be used in TEMs and authenticated by using of quantitative ethnobotanical tools. Ethnopharmacological potential of indigenous plants was confirmed by RIP and RPL indices which had been used to cure one or more body systems and were promulgated in the local herbal medicine system. The research provides clues to screen these plant species by using latest phytochemical and pharmacological analysis for novel drug discovery. This study will also be useful for conservation of bioculture traditional knowledge of indigenous communities and the most important is to conserve medicinal plants of the study area for future generations.

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Background An ethnobotanical expedition was conducted to document the traditional ethnobotanical (TEB) uses of wild flora of Dawarian and Ratti Gali villages of District Neelam, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Pakistan. District Neelam has rich plant diversity and is hub of many endemic plant species while the study areas are not yet explored. The research area: Dawarian and Rati Gali (DRG) area is mountaineous terrain and villages are located on far and farther distances. DRG area has rich biocultural and plant diversity comprising of different ethnic groups of Kashmir state. The current research was aimed to explore and document traditional medicines (TEMs) and other domestic and commercial uses of wild plants. This study will assist to evaluate conservation and commercial worth of wild flora which can be potential candidate for drug discovery through ethnopharmacological analysis. Methods The current quantitative ethnobotanical research was carried out in 2018 by interviewing 150 indigenous informants (90 male and 60 female) of DRG area using questionnaire applying structured and semi structured interview methodology. Data analysis was analyzed by using quantitative ethnobotanical statistical tools such as fidelity level (FL), informant consensus factor (ICF), Spearman’s rank correlation (SRC) and data matrix ranking (DMR). Results The indigenous people of DRG area use wild plants in their daily life to cope life necessities i.e. food, vegetables, fodder, fuel, shelter, timber and herbal medicines. TEMs are primarily used to cure different infirmities like diabetics, asthma, dysentery, constipation, cold, fever, joint pain, wound healing, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, epilepsy, kidney infections and many types of skin diseases. Current study revealed the data of 103 wild plants species belonging to 46 plant families from selected areas of District Neelum, AJK. Results depicted that Asteraceae ranked 1st (12 plants spp). Among plant parts used leaf ranked 1st (18%), followed by seed (17%) and root (13%). While prevalent form recipe mode was decoction (20%), followed by powder (17%) and extract (14%) and fodder was highest (37%) EB use-form fodder, followed by food (32%) and fuel (17%). Quantitative ethnobotanical analysis (QEA) was carried to find the reliability and novelty of the study. Five plant species including Berberis lyceum (FL = 97.78%), Isodon rugosus (FL = 95.71%), Saussurea lappa (FL = 94.74%), Aconitum heterophyllum (FL = 92.71%) and Taxus baccata (91.58%) had shown high fidelity level which confirmed that these plants have high medicinal worth in study area. The highest value (0.94) of ICF was for diseases group “tuberculosis and leucorrhea”, followed by stomachache and flatulence (0.93), diabetics and blood pressure (0.92) and asthma and chest infections (0.88). For other uses fuel with ICF (0.83) ranked first and second was hedging and thatching (ICF = 0.82) where people use plants or their parts for construction. Spearman’s rank correlation (SRC) test indicated that number of TEB uses increases if number of species is increased. Jaccard index (JI) analysis depicted that 56.31% plants are being used as TEMs which are first time explored from the study area. While 26.21% plants are being used in different TEB uses which are different from past cited literature. These novel findings of research indicate that wild flora of the study area has great potential for novel drug discovery and provision of materialist services for the indigenous communities. Conclusion The present research revealed that TEMs uses of 58 plants are novel being first time reported from the study area (DRG) of District Neelam of AJK. The results showed that plants like Acer cappadocicum, Ajuga bracteosa and Swertia paniculata are used to cure diabetes, Viscum album, Viola canescens, Taxus baccata are used for cure of cancer, Isodon rugosus, Polygala chinensis are used in TEMs for treating cardiovascular disorders and Anaphalis triplinervis is used for epilepsy. Berberis lyceum, Ajuga bracteosa, Aconitum heterophyllum, Bistorta amplexicaule, Saussurea lapa and Jurinea dolomiaea are severely threatened and there is urgent need to do conservation measures for available of valuable MPs to the indigenous communities for life necessities and for future research. The current study will also be useful addition in ethnobotanical database, preservation of traditional culture and drug discovery and drug development through future ethnopharmacological research.

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The current study deals with the detailed morphology investigation of eight Cypsela species belonging to tribe Cichoreae. The different Cypsela types were described, explained, compared, and their taxonomic significance is discussed in detail. Light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been used to highlight quantitative and qualitative characters of underestudied species. Cypsela exhibit great diversity in macro and micromorphological features such as shape, color, length, width, anticlinal and periclinal wall patterns, surface patterns, epicuticular projections. Majority of Cypsela species were brownish in color and their size ranges from 2.16 to 3.98 mm in length and 1.16 to 0.82 mm in breadth. A great diversity in Cypsela shapes like oblanceolate to obovate, obovoid to cylindrical, obvate, narrowly lanceolate were observed. Most of the platelets having epicuticular projections were observed. The surface pattern on the cypsela surface varied from rugose papillate, verrucose papillate, and striated. On the basis of considerable variations observed, the present study can assist as useful constraints at various taxonomic levels. The aim of the present study is to provide a comprehensive description of the Cypsela morphology and to determine the extent to which these micro morphological data can be used as a taxonomic character to delineate various taxa belonging to the tribe Cichoreae.