Grass Diversity in the Historical Kalash Valley, District Chitral, Hindukush Range, Pakistan

Abstract

The present study was carried out to enlist the grass flora of Kalash valley, Pakistan their
ecological characteristics and ethnobotanical uses. A total of 36 grass species belonging to 29 genera were
identified. Poa was the dominant genus with 4 (11.11%) species followed by Avena, Bromus, Hordeum
and Lolium represented by 2 (5.55%) species each. The remaining genera had one species each. Ecological
characteristics revealed that 23 (63.89%) species were rarely occurring, 9 (25%) were common and 4
(11.11%) species were abundantly occurring in the valley. Life form spectra showed that therophytes were
dominant with 24 (66.67%) species followed by hemicryptophytes with 8 (22.22%) species, chamaephytes
3 (8.33%) and geophytes had one (2.78%) species. Leaf size spectra revealed that 26 (72.22%) species
were nanophylls, 4 (11.11%) were microphylls and 3 (8.33%) were mesophylls. 27 (75%) species were
growing on dry places and 9 (25%) were growing on wet soils. Similarly, 33 (91.67%) were fodder species,
3 (11.11%) were food species and 2 (5.55%) species were used for thatching purposes in the valley. The
present information will be useful for further ecological and biological researches on the grasses in this
dry temperate region of Pakistan.