Research Article

Floristic Composition and Biological Spectrum of Palangzai Miran Shah Village, District North Waziristan (Merged Areas), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Dilawar Jan1*, Muhammad Farooq2, Lal Badshah3, Mehboob Khan4, Salim Saifullah2 and Sanam Zarif2

1University of Science and Technology, Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 2Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 3Botany Department, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 4Wildlife Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Received | December 02, 2024; Accepted | February 17, 2025; Published | February 27, 2025

*Correspondence | Dilawar Jan, University of Science and Technology, Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; Email: [email protected]

Citation | Jan, D., M. Farooq, L. Badshah, M. Khan, S. Saifullah and S. Zarif. 2025. Floristic composition and biological spectrum of Palangzai Miran Shah Village, District North Waziristan (Merged Areas), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan Journal of Forestry, 75(1): 01-10.

DOI | https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.PJF/2025/75.1.1.10

Keywords | Nanophylls, Aphyllous, Palangzai, Wazirestan, Life form, Spectra

Copyright: 2025 by the authors. Licensee ResearchersLinks Ltd, England, UK.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Introduction

The northern portion of Waziristan, a hilly region in northwest Pakistan that borders Afghanistan and spans around 11,585 km² (4,473 mi²), is known as the North Waziristan district (formerly known as FATA). Between the Gomal River to the south and the Kurram River to the north, it is located in the west and southwest of Peshawar. North Waziristan’s capital city is Miran Shah.

The North Waziristan Agency was established as a full-fledged organization in 1910. The Wazir and Dawar tribes of Pashtuns live there. The district is located between latitudes 32.35˚ and 33.22˚N and longitudes 69.22˚ and 70.38˚S. Afghanistan, Kurram, and Hangu District enclose it on the north, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Region, which borders Bannu district, encloses it on the east. Afghanistan is to the west, and South Waziristan is to the south (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade).

Topography

The district is hilly, and these hills and mountains creating a barrier between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Waziristan hills are typically between 1,500 and 2,500 meters (4,900 and 6,600 feet) above sea level. The Derwesta, Laran, Vezda, Ingame, Shoidar, Shawal, Eblunkai, Alexandra, Muzdak, and Zakha Vezhda Hills are among the significant Waziristan hill ranges. Nonetheless, the mountain ranges of Khattip, Margha wazar sar, and Karawragha encircle the settlement of Palangzai.

Tochi River

The Tochi River, which flows through the district, created the Tochi Pass, which bears the river’s name. Armies, people, and cultures have entered and exited this area through this pass. Ghazni, Afghanistan, and Bannu, Pakistan, are connected by it (Mufti et al., 1997).

Climate

The region experiences warm summers and frigid winters. The summer months run from May through September. In the mountainous areas, the average June high and low temperatures are 31° and 18° Celsius, respectively, whereas in the partially plain areas, they are 38° and 22° Celsius. October marks the beginning of winter, which lasts until April. The coldest months are December, January, and February. In January, the average high and low temperatures in the somewhat plain areas are 10° and -2° Celsius, respectively.

Materials and Methods

Floristic composition

The study was carried out in the spring and summer of the 2017. Plants were collected in various visits from numerous locations of the study area. The plants were mounted on the typical herbarium sheets after being dried and preserved. The Flora of Pakistan (Nasir and Ali, 1971-94; Ali and Qaiser, 1995-2010) was used to identify the plants. The Herbarium of the Department of Botany at the University of Peshawar, Pakistan, provided additional confirmation of the plants identity.

Biological spectrum

The adaptation of plants to the climate is reflected in life forms. The term bio spectrum refers to the proportion of various life forms that are found in a certain location or area. Hussain (1989), Badshah et al. (2013), and Raunkiaer (1934) divided the plants into the following life form classes.

Phanerophytes (Ph)

Species whose aerial portions produce perennating buds that are at least 25 cm above the ground. They were further separated into the subcategories listed below.

• Each of these types may be classified according to height:
• Megaphanerophytes (Mg). >30m (100 Ft. +)
• Mesophanerophytes (Ms). 7.6-30m (25-100 Ft.)
• Microphanerophytes (Mp). 2-7.5m (6-25 Ft.)
• Nanophanerophytes (N). 0.25-2m (0.8-6 Ft.)

Chamaeophyte (Ch)

Perennial plants have buds or shoots that are up to 25 cm off the ground on an upright stem. Another name for them is surface plants. Usually, they live in arid, cool climates.

Hemicryptophytes (He)

Perennial plants with buds that are buried in soil and litter and located near the ground. These plants grow best in cold, humid areas. They consist of numerous forbs and grasses.

Geophytes/ Cryptophytes (G/Cr)

Their perennial buds are buried in water or below ground level (hydrophytes). The reproductive organs that are underground and shielded from drying and freezing are the rhizome, corm, bulb, or tuber. Only during a suitable season may the shoots appear.

Therophytes (Th)

These plants are annuals, meaning they only need one season to complete their life cycle. They only use seeds to replenish their growth. These plants can have a brief lifespan of a few weeks. Deserts and grasslands are usually home to these kinds of flora.

Climbers and lianas

These plants grow and are supported by other plants, rocks, or artificial structures. Woody climbers like Liana are typically anchored in soil.

Leaf size spectra

The range of leaf sizes found in a given area provides insight into how plant leaves have adapted to their surroundings. Raunkiaer (1934) separated the plants into the following leaf size classes.

A. Leptophyll (L): 25 sq. mm

B. Nanophyll (N): 9 × 25 sq. mm

C. Microphyll (Mi): 92 × 25 sq. mm

D. Mesophyll (Me): 93 × 25 sq. mm

E. Macrophyll (Mac): 94 × 25 sq. mm

F. Megaphyll (Ma): larger than class E.

Results and Discussion

 

Table 1: A description of the flora in the village of Palangzai Miran Shah in north Waziristan, Pakistan.

Division	Families	S. No	Species	Life form	Leaf size	Habit
Gymnosperm	1) Ephedraceae	1	Ephedra nebrodensis	Th	N	Shrub
Pteridophytes	2)Equisetaceae	2	Equisetum arvense L.	G	Ap	Herb
Monocotyledon	3) Alliaceae	3	Allium cepa Linn	G	N	Herb
	4) Arecaceae	4	Nanorrhopes ritchiana (Griff.)	Mp	Mac	Shrub
		5	Phoenix dactylifera L.	Mp	Mes	Tree
	5)Poaceae	6	Cenchrus ciliaris L	H	L	Herb
		7	Cymbopogon jwarancusa (Jones)	H	N	Herb
		8	Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers	H	L	Herb
		9	Dicanthium annulatum (Forssk.) Stapf	H	N	Herb
		10	Hordeum vulgare L	H	Mic	Herb
		11	Oryza sativa L.	Th	Mic	Herb
		12	Poa annua Linn	Th	L	Herb
		13	Polypogon monspeliensis (L.)	Th	Mic	Herb
		14	Saccharum bengalansis Retz.	Ch	N	Shrub
		15	Saccharum spontanum L.	Ch	L	Shrub
		16	Triticum aestivum L	Th	Mic	Herb
		17	Zea mays L.	Th	Mes	Herb
Dicotyledon	6) Amaranthaceae	18	Aerva javanica (Burm.f.) Juss	Ch	L	Herb
		19	Amaranthus varidus L.	Th	N	Herb
	7) Apocyanaceae	20	Nerium indica Mill	Np	Mic	Shrub
	8) Asclepiadaceae	21	Calotropis procera subsp. Hamiltonii (Wight). Ali.	Ch	Mes	Shrub
		22	Caralluma tuberculata N.E.Br.	Th	N	Herb
		23	Periploca aphylla Decne.	Np	Ap	Shrub
	9) Asparagaceae	24	Asparagus gracilus Royle	Ch	L	Shrub
	10) Asteraceae	25	Artemesia maritime	Ch	Mic	Herb
		26	Centurea iberica Trevir. ex Spreng.	Th	N	Herb
		27	Cirsium arvense (L)scop	Th	Mic	Herb
		28	Conyza Canadensis (L.) Cronquist	Th	Mic	Herb
		29	Helianthus annus L.	Th	Mes	Shrub
		30	Parthinium hysterophorous L.	Th	Mes	Herb
		31	Silybum marianumL	Ch	Mic	Herb
		32	Sonchus asper L.	Th	Mic	Herb
		33	Sonchus oleraceus L	Th	Mic	Herb
		34	Taraxicum officinale F. H. Wigg.	Th	Mic	Herb
		35	Xanthium strumarium L.	Th	N	Herb
		36	Lactuca sativa L.	Th	Mic	Herb
			Table continued on next page..................
Division	Families	S. No	Species	Life form	Leaf size	Habit
	11) Bignoniaceae	37	Tecomella undulata (Sm.) Seem.	Mp	Mic	Tree
	12) Boraginceae	38	Heliotropium europaeum L.	Th	Mic	Herb
		39	Heliotropium strigosum Willd.	Th	Mic	Herb
		40	Onosma grifithii L.	Th	Mic	Herb
		41	Onosma hispidia L.	Th	Mic	Herb
	13) Brassicaceae	42	Brassica compestres L.	Th	Mes	Herb
		43	Brassica rapa (L.) Clapham.	Th	N	Herb
		44	Malcolmia cubulica L.	Th	Mic	Herb
		45	Sisymbrium irio L.	Th	N	Herb
		46	Raphanus sativus L.	Th	Mic	Herb
	14) Cactaceae	47	Opuntia delenii How	Np	L	Shrub
	15) Cannabaceae	48	Canabis sativa Linn	Th	Mic	Shrub
	16) Caryophylaceae	49	Achanthophylum honigbergeri	Np	L	Herb
		50	Silene arenosa C. Koch.	Th	N	Herb
	17) Chenopodiaceae	51	Chenopodium ambrosoides L.	Th	L	Herb
		52	Chenopodium murale L.	Th	L	Herb
	18) Convolvulaceae	53	Convolvulus arvenis L	Th	N	Herb
		54	Convolvulus prostratus Forssk	Th	L	Herb
	19) Cucubitaceae	55	Citrullus colocynthis (L.)Schrad.	Th	Mic	Herb
		56	Cucurbita pepo L	Th	Mg	Herb
		57	Lagenaria siceraria L	Th	Mg	Herb
		58	Luffa cylindrical L	Th	Mg	Herb
	20) Dipsacaceae	59	Scabiosa oliveri Coult	Th	N
	21) Eleagnaceae	60	Eleagnus engustifolia L	Th	N	Tree
	22) Euphorbiaceae	61	Andrachne cordifolius (Wall.ex Decne) Decne	Mp	N	Herb
		62	Euphorbia heliscopia L.	Th	L	Herb
		63	Euphorbia hirta L.	Th	L	Herb
		64	Euphorbia prostrata Aiton	Ch	Mes	Herb
		65	Racinus communis L.	Ch	Mes	Tree
	23) Fabaceae	66	Alhagi maurorum Medik	H	L	Shrub
		67	Argyrolobium roseum Jaub	Th	N	Herb
		68	Melilotus indica (L.) All.	Th	N	Herb
		69	Trifolium repens L.	Th	N	Herb
		70	Trifolium alexandranum L	Th	N	Herb
	24) Fumariaceae	71	Fumaria indica (Hausskn.) Pugsley.	Th	N	Herb
	25) Lamiaceae	72	Eremostachya superba Royle ex Benth.	H	Mes
		73	Mentha longifolia (L.) L.	G	N	Herb
		74	Ocimum basilicum L.	Ch	N	Herb
		75	Salvia moorcroftiana Wall.	Ch	Mic	Herb
		76	Teucrium stocksianum Boiss	Th	Mic	Herb
		77	Vitex negundo L.	Np	Mes	Shrub
	26) Linaceae	78	Linum corymbulosum Reichenb.	Th	N	Herb
	27) Lipidiaceae	79	Cardaria draba (L.) Desv.	Th	N	Herb
	28) Malvaceae	80	Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet	Ch	N	Herb
		81	Abelmoschus esculentu LMoench.	Th	Mic	Herb
	29) Meliaceae	82	Melia azedarch L.	Mp	L	Tree
	30) Mimosaceae	83	Acacia modesta Wall.	Mp	L	Tree
		84	Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex. Delile	Mp	L	Tree
			Table continued on next page..................
Division	Families	S. No	Species	Life form	Leaf size	Habit
	31) Moraceae	85	Ficus carica L.	Np	Mes	Tree
		86	Morus alba L.	Mp	Mes	Tree
		87	Morus nigra L.	Mp	Mes	Tree
	32) Myrtaceae	88	Euclyptus maculate	Mp	N	Tree
	33) Oleaceae	89	Olea ferruginea Wall.ex Aitch.	Mp	Mic	Tree
	34) Oxalidaceae	90	Oxalis carniculata L.	Th	N	Herb
	35) Papilionaceae	91	Astragalus sp L	Ch	L	Shrub
		92	Lathyrus sativus L	Th	N	Herb
		93	Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill.	Th	N	Herb
		94	Medicago sativus L	H	N	Herb
		95	Pisum sativum L.	Th	Mic	Herb
		96	Vicia sativa L.	Th	N	Herb
	36) Plantaginaceae	97	Plantago ciliata Desf.	Th	N	Herb
		98	Plantago lanceolara L.	Th	N	Herb
	37) Polygonaceae	99	Persicaria glabra (Willed.)M.Gomez.	Th	N	Herb
		100	Rumex dentatus L.	G	Mes	Herb
	38) Primulaceae	101	Anagallis arvensis L.	Th	N	Herb
	39) Punicaceae	102	Punica granatum Linn.	Mp	Mic	Tree
	40) Ranunculaceae	103	Delphinium suava Huth	Th	N	Herb
		104	Ranunculus muricatus L	G	Mic	Herb
	41) Resadaceae	105	Oligomeris lenifolia (Vahl)	Th	N	Herb
	42) Rhamnaceae	106	Segeratia thea (Osbeck)M.C. Johnston	Mp	N	Shrub
		107	Zizyphus mauritiana Lam.	Mp	N	Tree
	43) Rosaceae	108	Cydonia oblonga	Mp	Mes	Tree
		109	Eriobotrya japonica (Thumb.)	Mp	Mes	Tree
		110	Malus pumila L.	Mp	Mes	Tree
		111	Prunus armeniaca Marsh	Mp	Mes	Tree
		112	Prunus domestica L.	Mp	Mic	Tree
	44) Rubiaceae	113	Galium aparine L.	Th	N	Herb
	45) Salacaceae	114	Salix tetrasperma Roxb.	Mp	Mes	Trees
	46) Sepotaceae	115	Monotheca boxifolia (Falc.) A. DC.	Mp	Mic	Tree
	47) Solanaceae	116	Datura innoxia Mill	Th	Mes	Herb
		117	Datura metal L.	Np	Mes	Herb
		118	Hyoscymas insanus Stocks	Ch	Mic	Herb
		119	Solanum incanum L	G	Mic	Herb
		120	Lycopersicum esculentum L.	Th	Mic	Herb
		121	Solanum melongena L.	H	Mic	Herb
		122	Solanum nigrum L.	Th	Mic	Shrub
		123	Solanum surattense Burm. f.	H	N	Herb
		124	Withania coagulans (Stocks ) Dunal	Ch	Mic	Shrub
		125	Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal	Ch	Mic	Shrub
	48)Spindaceae	126	Dodonea viscosa (L.) Jacq.	Np	N	Shrub
	49) Tamaraceae	127	Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst	Mp	L	Tree
	50) Vitaceae	128	Vitex venifera linn	Mp	Mes	Shrub
	51)Zygophyllaceae	129	Fegonia indica Hadidi	Th	L	Herb
		130	Peganum harmala L.	H	L	Herb

 

Keys: Life form leaf size spectra; Th: Therophytes; L: Leptophyll; H: Hemicryptophytes; N: Nanophyll; Ch: Chamaephytes; Mic: Microphyll; G: Geophytes; Mes: Mesophyll; Np: Nannophanerophytes; Mac: Macrophyll; Mp: Microphanerophytes; Mg: Megaphyll; AP: Aphyllous.

 

 

 

 

Table 2: Percentage distribution of life form and leaf size spectra of Flora of Vill: Palangzai, Miran Shah (NW).

S. No	Life form	No: of species	%age
1	Therophytes	66	50.76%
2	Microphanerophytes	23	17.69%
3	Chamaephytes	16	12.30%
4	Hemicryptophytes	11	8.46%
5	Nannophanerophytes	8	6.15%
6	Geophytes	6	4.61%
Leaf size
1	Nanophyll	43	33.07%
2	Microphyll	38	29.23%
3	Mesophyll	22	16.92%
4	Leptophyll	21	16.15%
5	Megaphyll	3	2.30%
6	Aphyllous	2	1.53%
7	Macrophyll	1	0.76%

 

 

Table 3: Families wise check list of flora.

S. No	Families	No of species
1	Equisetaceae	1
2	Alliaceae	1
3	Arecaceae	2
4	Poaceae	12
5	Amaranthaceae	2
6	Apocyanaceae	1
7	Asclepiadaceae	3
8	Asparagaceae	1
9	Asteraceae	12
10	Bignoniaceae	1
11	Boraginceae	4
12	Brassicaceae	5
13	Cactaceae	1
14	Cannabaceae	1
15	Caryophylaceae	2
16	Chenopodiaceae	2
17	Convolvulaceae	2
18	Cucubitaceae	4
19	Dipsacaceae	1
20	Eleagnaceae	1
21	Euphorbiaceae	5
22	Ephedraceae	1
23	Fabaceae	5
24	Fumariaceae	1
25	Lamiaceae	6
26	Linaceae	1
27	Lipidiaceae	1
28	Malvaceae	2
29	Meliaceae	1
30	Mimosaceae	2
31	Moraceae	3
32	Myrtaceae	1
33	Oleaceae	1
34	Oxalidaceae	1
35	Papilionaceae	6
36	Plantaginaceae	2
37	Polygonaceae	2
38	Primulaceae	1
39	Punicaceae	1
40	Ranunculaceae	2
41	Resadaceae	1
42	Rhamnaceae	2
43	Rosaceae	5
44	Rubiaceae	1
45	Salacaceae	1
46	Sepotaceae	1
47	Solanaceae	10
48	Spindaceae	1
49	Tamaraceae	1
50	Vitaceae	1
51	Zygophyllaceae	2
Total		130

 

The study identified 130 plant species belonging to 51 families, highlighting significant floristic diversity in the Palangzai Miran Shah region. Among the divisions, dicotyledons dominated, contributing the highest number of families and species, indicating the region’s diverse ecological niches. This aligns with patterns observed in semi-arid to arid regions, where dicots often dominate due to their adaptive traits. The life-form classification reveals that therophytes (Th) dominate the flora, followed by chamaephytes (Ch) and microphanerophytes (Mp). This dominance of therophytes is characteristic of semi-arid regions and reflects the harsh climatic conditions and grazing pressure. The prevalence of annual plants (therophytes) suggests their ability to complete life cycles quickly during favorable conditions.

The leaf size spectra indicate a predominance of microphyllous (Mic) and nanophyllous (N) species. These adaptations help minimize water loss through reduced surface area, demonstrating the region’s adaptation to xeric conditions.

Families

Families like Poaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae contributed significantly to the species count. These families are commonly dominant in disturbed habitats and arid ecosystems due to their resilience and ecological versatility. Key species such as Ephedra nebrodensis (Gymnosperm) and Nerium indica (Apocyanaceae) underline the region’s unique xerophytic adaptations.

Comparison with similar regions

When compared to other semi-arid areas in Pakistan, such as the Thar Desert and Cholistan, Palangzai Miran Shah shares similarities in life-form spectra and dominance of Poaceae and Fabaceae. However, the presence of endemic or regionally adapted species like Caralluma tuberculata and Withania somnifera indicates localized ecological adaptations and highlights the unique floristic composition of North Waziristan.

Environmental pressures and conservation implications

The floristic composition reflects a vegetation community under stress from anthropogenic activities such as overgrazing, deforestation, and agricultural expansion. The dominance of therophytes may also indicate disturbance or land degradation. Conservation efforts should focus on protecting perennial shrubs and trees, which play a critical role in stabilizing the soil and maintaining biodiversity.

This study provides a baseline for understanding the floristic composition and biological spectrum of North wazirestan Palangzai Miran Shah village. The findings can inform biodiversity conservation strategies and promote sustainable land management in the region.

Novelty Statement

This study presents the first comprehensive floristic assessment of Palangzai, Miran Shah, North Waziristan, a region previously unexplored in botanical research due to its geopolitical sensitivity and rugged terrain. By documenting 130 plant species across 51 families, the study significantly enhances the understanding of the area’s biodiversity. The identification of therophytes as the dominant life form (50.76%), along with detailed life-form analysis using Raunkiaer’s classification, provides new insights into the ecological adaptations of plant species in this semi-arid environment. This research serves as a baseline for future conservation efforts and contributes valuable data for ecological restoration and sustainable land management in North Waziristan’s merged tribal areas.

Author’s Contribution

Dilawar Jan: Data collection.

Muhammad Farooq: Thesis writing.

Lal Badshah and Salim Saifullah: Software.

Mehboob Khan: Analysis.

Sanam Zarif: Resources provision.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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