Floristic configuration and ecological characteristics of plants of Koh-e-Safaid range, northern Pakistani-afghan borders

The floristic study carried out during 2015–2018 revealed that the flora of Koh-e-Safaid Range comprised of 654 species, 401 genera from 116 families. Leading families were Poaceae 72 species (11.07%), Asteraceae 56 species (8.61%), Rosaceae 43 species (6.61%), Lamiaceae 41 species (6.25%), Papilionaceae 38 species (5.84%), Brassicaceae 32 species (4.92%), Ranunculaceae 17 species (2.61%), Apiaceae and Polygonaceae each with 16 species (2.41%). The largest genera were: Prunus (9 species), Potentilla and Astragalus (8 species each), Artemisia, Allium (7 species) Euphorbia and Amaranthus (6 species each), Lepidium, Nepeta and Cotoneaster (5 species each). Therophytes with 257 species (39.23%) were the dominant life form, followed by nanophanerophytes 104 species (15.92%), geophytes 100 species (15.31%), hemicryptophytes 98 species (15.00%). Cuscuta reflexa, Viscum album and Viscum articulatum were three of the shoot parasites. The leaf spectrum was dominated by nanophylls 246 species (37.67%) followed by microphylls 140 species (21.43%) and mesophylls 128 species (19.54%). Eleven species (1.68%) were aphyllous. Majority of the species (459 species, 70.29%) had simple lamina while seven species (1.07%) had spiny leaves. Present report also listed the some of the endemic species while Cleome amblycarpa and Salvia reflexa are reported as a new addition to the list of Flora of Pakistan.