Ethnoecological Studies of Herbs and Shrubs of Miani Sahib Graveyard, Lahore City, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

This survey was carried out to prepare a plant inventory for the exploration of the ethnobotanical importance of the plants in the Miani Sahib Graveyard and to understand the effectiveness of graveyards in conserving plant diversity. Plants were collected in different seasons of the year and were dried, pressed, mounted and identified with the help of Flora of Pakistan. Our ethnobotanical study was carried out by interviewing the herbal drug dealers, timber dealers, fuel wood sellers, and the local elderly people residing in the adjacent areas of Miani Sahib and hakims through a questionnaire. Cyperaceae was noticed as the dominant plant family, showing the highest FIVI value. They are used in fever, flue, cough, asthma, digestive troubles, piles, diabetes, urinary diseases, male sexual diseases, gynecological diseases, joint pains and inflammation, ear diseases, tooth problems, cuts and wounds, dermal problems, and as cooling agents and other miscellaneous uses.

Keywords

• ethnobotany
• graveyard
• protected areas
• miani sahib