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Abstract: Objective: To determine the present status of plant communities and their possible association with the habitat in Malam Jabba, Swat, Pakistan. Methods: A study on the phytoecology was conducted in various ecologically important sites of Malam Jabba, Swat, Pakistan from 2002 to 2004. The altitude of these sites ranged from 1 200 m to 3 200 m. Quadrat method was used for evaluation of plants communities and the data on these attributes was converted to relative values. The plant communities were named after 3 leading species with highest importance values. Biological spectrum of the flora based on the life form was prepared by following Raunkiar''s life form classes. Results: The floristic composition and structure of the study area were found to be 200 species belonging to 75 families. Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Poaceae were important families in the study area. The biological spectrum showed that therophytic and hemicrytophytic life form and micro-nonophyllous leaf sizes were dominant in the area. The air and soil temperatures were decreasing with increasing elevation. Both the air and soil temperatures were relatively higher in south slopes than on the northeast slopes. The vegetation analysis of the area indicated eleven plant communities around the area. The present vegetation is the relics of moist temperate coniferous forest in the area. The communities reflect highly deteriorated conditions. Both the structure and composition of the surrounding vegetation were associated with the types of habitats. Conclusions: The conservation of the remaining populations of the reported communities will be best achieved by proper time of sustainable harvesting. It is only possible with the participation of local communities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An ex-situ experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of six medicinal species (Aconitum laeve Royle, Bunium persicum B. Fedtsch., Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch., Podophyllum hexandrum Royle, Delphinium roylei Munz and Hypericum perforatum L.) from upper Swat, Pakistan. Experiments were conducted at four different locations in the upper Swat valley at altitudes ranging from 1200 to 1900 m.a.s.l. The objectives were; 1) to determine the suitability of ex-situ cultivation of different medicinal species, and; 2) to assess the economic feasibility of growing medicinal plants in the area. A highest mean survival of 80.7% across all locations was observed for H. perforatum followed by 58.7% for B. persicum. The remaining four species exhibited very poor survival rates, although D. roylei, did show encouraging signs of growth and flowered, before experiencing high mortality rates late in the trial. Altitude generally seemed to enhance the degree of sprouting for all species except H. perforatum. However, the productive yield of H. perforatum was certainly not reduced, but rather slightly enhanced in the higher altitude sites. Overall, cultivation of only two of the investigated species, B. persicum and H. perforatum, appeared successful and potentially economically viable under farmland conditions at upper Swat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]