Checklist of Medicinal Plants in the Central Plateau of Al- Batnan, Libya.

Abstract

This research was undertaken to explore the variety and distribution of medicinal species in the central plateau of Al-Batnan. The study area was randomly divided into five zones. Between March 2023 and October 2024, a series of field surveys were conducted to collect plant samples. The findings revealed a total of 36 medicinal plant species, belonging to 22 families and 35 genera. The Lamiaceae family had the highest number of genera, with five genera and five species. Fabaceae ranked second, with four genera and four species.

According to the study, the dominant life form of medicinal plants in the surveyed region was Chamaephytes (25%), followed by Hemicryptophytes (22.3%, 8 species), and then Phanerophytes and Therophytes (19.4% each, represented by 7 species each). Geophytes accounted for 13.9% (5 species). The results also showed that perennial plants constituted the largest proportion of medicinal plants in the area, representing 80.6%. Additionally, plants from genera known for their medicinal importance were recorded, including Artemisia, Thymus, Salvia, Teucrium, Ziziphus, and Peganum.