Ethnobotanical study and conservation status of trees in the district Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan

Sargodha district is one of the least studied regions of Pakistan regarding its ethnobotanical values. This paper is the first report related to the documentation and conservation status of the tree species in the Sargodha district, and their folk ethnobotanical uses. An interview base survey was conducted in the study area in2010-2013. The ethnobotanical data revealed the use of 100 tree species (6 gymnosperms, 94 angiosperms) belonging to 77 genera (6 gymnosperms, 71 angiosperms) and 39 families (4 gymnosperms, 35 angiosperms), with the Fabaceae ranking first with 19 tree species, followed by the Moraceae (12 species). Tree species like Aegle marmelos,Butea monosperma, Diospyrus malabarica, Gmelina arborea, Kigeliaafricana, Manilkara hexandra, Manilkara zapota, Mimusops elengi,Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Putranjiva roxburghii, Terminalia arjuna and Terminalia bellerica are not only unique in their medicinal value butalso interesting because of their unusual occurrence here. Thevetia peruviana, Cassia fistula, Celtis australis, Delonix regia, Diospyrus malabarica, Grevillea robusta, Haplophragma adenophylum, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Plumeria rubra, Pterospermum acerifolium, Roystonea regia, Taxodium distichum and Tectona grandis are included among the worth looking ornamental tree species. Capparisdecidua, Dalbergia sissoo, Tamarix aphylla, Tamarix dioica, Prosopis cinerariaand Ziziphus mauritiana are the most commonly used timber species. Other common ethnobotanical utilization of these trees includeseither sheltering or fuel or agricultural uses. Lack of awareness about the potential uses of these species, and particularly ignorance of the concerned authorities, have led to a decline in the population of this precious tree flora. Documentation of this tree flora, and associated indigenous knowledge, can be used as a basis for developing management plans for conservation and sustainable use of this florain the study area. A well-organized management is critical to restore and conserve this endangered natural resource in the District Sargodha,Pakistan. The immense medicinal and timber value of thesetree species make it necessary to promote their conservation to simultaneously alleviate the poverty and improve the socio-economicstatus of the study area.