Flora of Pakistan

Pakistan's native flora reflects its varied climatic zones, which range from arid and semi-arid to temperate and tropical, hinges on its climate, geography, closeness to sea and mountains besides soil type and precipitation. From the warm sea shores, the altitude in Pakistan rises to 8,611 m (height of K2, the second highest peak of the world), and temperature varies from sub-zero in the glacier-clad Karakoram Mountains to 52°C (125°F) at Sibi (Balochistan province) and Mianwali (Punjab). The average annual precipitation ranges from as low as .50 mm at Nok Kundi in Balochistan to 2032 mm in the northern mountain ranges particular in the Bulashbar Valley, of Gilgit–Baltistan, heavy rainfall allows for a more diverse flora than in many other parts of Pakistan's north. This diversity in altitude, temperature and precipitation has resulted in a diversity of biotic communities, and a relatively rich flora of at least 5,700 species of various form of plants, of which the Poet's Jasmine is the “National Flower of Pakistan” respectively.

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Wildlife of Pakistan
The Common Jasmine is the Official National flower of Pakistan.

There are some 203 endemic species, or about 4% of the total flora, which mostly abound the mountain regions of Northern Pakistan, particularly in the Chitral and Kashmir districts, and in northern Balochistan. In addition, some 2000 medicinal plant species are found within Pakistan. Among these is Ephedra Procera, used in allopathic medicine to treat bronchial asthma, hay fever and as a heart stimulant. Once a major supply of Ephedra Procera to the world originated from Balochistan. But the exploitation of these herbal plants largely remains under explored or even neglected due to ignorance of even their presence and about 90% of herbal plants are imported for drug manufacturing. As per an estimate, 4000 tonnes of oil from juniper berries could be harvested. The flora and fauna of Pakistan suffer from a number of problems. For further details of habitats, see Ecoregions of Pakistan, Forestry in Pakistan and Wildlife of Pakistan.

Distribution

Northern highlands and valleys

Pakistan has conifer forests in most of the northern and north-western highlands. These occur from 1,000 to 4,000 m altitudes. Swat, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Malakand, Mansehra and Abbottabad districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North-West Frontier Province) are the main areas covered with coniferous forests. Pindrow fir (Abies pindrow) and Morinda spruce (Picea smithiana) occupy the highest altitudes, deodar (Cedrus deodara) and blue pine (Pinus wallichiana), the intermediate heights, and chir pine (Pinus roxburghii), occupy the lower areas.

Eastern plains and deserts

In most of Punjab and Sindh, the Indus plains have many fluvial landforms that support various natural biomes including tropical and subtropical dry and moist broadleaf forestry as well as tropical and xeric shrublands (deserts of Thal in Punjab, Tharparkar in Sindh) and kair (Capparis aphylla) which provide firewood. The riparian woodlands grow in narrow belts along the banks of River Indus and its tributaries. Main tree varieties are of sheesham and babul and main shrub varieties are reed beds and tamarisk (Tamarax dioica) bushes.

Wetlands and coastal regions

In the south of Sindh are Indus River Delta in west and Great Rann of Kutch in east. The largest saltwater wetland in Pakistan is the Indus River Delta. Unlike many other river deltas, it consists of clay soil and is very swampy. The Great Rann of Kutch below the Thar Desert is not as swampy and exhibits shrubland vegetation of rather dry thorny shrubs as well as marsh grasses of Apluda and Cenchrus. Other saltwater wetlands are located on the coast of Balochistan such as at Sonmiani and Jiwani. These and Indus River Delta support mangrove forestry, mainly of species Avicennia marina.

Cultural significance
TitleSymbolPicture
National treeDeodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara)
National flowerPoet's Jasmine (Common Jasmine)
National fruitsMango (Mangifera indica)

Guava (Psidium guajava)

National vegetableOkra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
National cropsWheat (Triticum aestivum)

Sugarcane (Saccharum barberi)

See also
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