Ethnobotany of amaranthaceae family in Nara desert, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

This paper is based on the results of an ethnobotanical project on the Nara Desert carried out during 1998-2001. During the survey six plant species belonging to four genera of Amaranthaceae family have been identified from Nara Desert which are extensively used from ethnobotanical point of view. Local inhabitants utilize different parts of these plants to accomplish their primary needs, such as food, forage and fuel. The present study includes common uses of these plants like medicine and veterinary medicine. In addition, for the first time these plants have been explored as source of potential herbal drugs in the study area