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ABSTRACT: The research project was conducted to study the diversity of family Papilionaceae in the flora of Shishi Koh Valley, Chitral. Plants were described on the basis of taxonomy and playnology. Family Papilionaceae was represented by thirty eight plants including thirty one species, three subspecies and four varieties. These plants belonged to ten tribes and fifteen genera. Among them Trifolieae was the dominant tribe with four genera i.e. Medicago, Trifolium, Melilotus and Trigonella. The dominant genus Medicago contributed five species and three varieties. Trifolium, Trigonella and Melilotus were represented by six, four and three species respectively. The next dominant tribes were Vicieae and Phaseoleae with seven and three species respectively. The remaining tribes were each represented by a single genus and species. Each tribe's contribution in the form of genera, species and infra-specific categories has been assessed. Palynological study of ten species with wide distribution showed a considerable degree of pollen variation. Monad pollen mostly of ellipsoid and oblong shapes were the characteristics of all the specimens discussed so for. Pollen apertures were mostly zono and colpate. Common size class was mediae, exine sculpture was reticulate and symmetry was bilateral.
Key Words: Papilionaceae, Vicieae, Phaseoleae, Palynology, Shishi Koh, Chitral.
(Received 09-01-2017 Accepted 13-03-2017)
INTRODUCTION
The research area lies in district Chitral part of the eastern Irano-Thuraian phytogeographic subregion; present at 1493.52 m altitude. Total area of the district is 14,850 Km2 located at 71° 46' 55'' E and 35° 50' 32'N (IUCN, 1998). According to 2008 census report of the district total population is 318689.District Chitral is bounded by Badakhshan, Asmar, Nooristan, and Wakhan areas of Afghanistan in west and south-west. On the southern boundary is district Dir Upper while on the eastern boundary is Swat Kohistan (Ali et al., 2012). Drosh has the rank of Tehsil in district Chitral, forming a gateway to the district on its southern side. Total population of Drosh is 71276 with male and female ratio 36854 and 34422 respectively. Shishi Koh Valley lies in Tehsil Drosh. Administratively this valley is ranked as a union council, which is divided in to 23 small and large villages (Anonymous, 1998).
Plants of the family Papilionaceae Giseke show great diversity with respect to distribution, habit and habitat in the study area. On...