Summary
Included here are the Himalayas above about 1000 m in the area westward of the Kali Gandaki River Gorge (the world’s deepest valley) in Central Nepal. It comprises all of the southern slopes and offspurs of the Western Himalayas and the valleys of the rivers Gilgat, Kabul, Kunar, Kurram and Swat.
Of the endemic and near endemic vascular plants so far recorded there are about 84 species in 63 genera and 35 families. There is 3 endemic genera (marked red) but no endemic families although members of family Biebersteiniaceae are confined to Central Asia. However, this list is probably incomplete so further information is required.
References
Jain, S. K. & Rao, R. R. 1983. An assessment of the threatened plants of India. Botanical Survey of India. Botanic Garden Howrah.
Kanai, H. 1963. Phytogeographical observations on the Japano-Himalayan Elements. Journal of the Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, Sect 3. Bot. 8: 305-339.
Malik, N. Z., Arshad, M. & Mirza, S. N. 2007. Phytosociological attributes of different plant communities of Pir Chinasi Hills of Azad Jammu and Kasmir. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 9: 569-574.
Nayar, M. P. 1996. “Hot Spots” of endemic plants of India, Nepal and Bhutan. Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute. Palode, Thiruvananthapuram.
Meusel, H. 1971. Mediterranean elements in the flora and vegetation of the west Himalayas. In: Plant Life of South-West Asia. Eds. P. H. Davies, P. C. Harper and I. C. Hedge. The Botanical Society of Edinburgh.
Polunin, O. & Stainton, A. 1984. Flowers of the Himalaya. Oxford University Press.
Rafiq, R. A. (undated). Report on the botanical studies in Palas Valley (1992-1995). National Herbarium, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad. Report prepared for the Himalayan Jungle Project, Palas Valley, Kohistan.
Rau, M. A. 1974 Vegetation and Phytogeography of Himalaya. In: Ecology and Biogeography in India. Ed. M. S. Mani. Dr W. Junk Publishers. The Hague.