Abstract:
For decades, the name Fagonia cretica has echoed through Pakistan’s botanical literature and herbal traditions, often cited as a native species and linked to the widely used medicinal plant “Dhamasa.” Yet this attribution, though wellintentioned, is scientifically inaccurate. Global databases such as Plants of the World Online (POWO, 2025) and recent molecular studies (Khan et al., 2023) clearly establish Fagonia cretica L. as a distinct Mediterranean species, native to regions like Crete, Greece, and North Africa-with no verified presence in Pakistan. The confusion traces back to historical synonymy in the Flora of Pakistan (Ghafoor, 1974), where F. cretica was misapplied to Fagonia indica var. indica, a mistake formally flagged in taxonomic literature as Fagonia cretica auct. non Linn., meaning “F. cretica as used by authors, but not as described by Linnaeus.” Herbarium specimens, field records, and species mapping now reinforce this correction: locally collected samples consistently identify Fagonia indica and its varieties (e.g., var. schweinfurthii, var. aucheri, var. subinermis) in areas such as Karachi, Tharparkar, and Zhob; Fagonia bruguieri and its varieties in Makran and Lasbela; and other species like F. olivieri, F. glutinosa, and F. ovalifolia subsp. pakistanica-but never F. cretica. It is also notable that the genus Fagonia has recently been subsumed under Zygophyllum in updated classifications (APG IV, 2016; POWO, 2025), meaning all names mentioned here are formally Zygophyllum species. This clarification is not just a taxonomic footnote-it’s a necessary step toward accurate medicinal use, regionally grounded plant documentation, and culturally resonant botanical education.
Page(s):
53-53
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: 4th International Conference of Sciences “Revamped Scientific Outlook of 21st Century, 2025” , November 12,2025, Volume: 1, Issue: 1, Year: 2025
Keywords:
Fagonia cretica
,
Clarification
,
Botanical Identity
,
Specie mapping
,
Mediterranean species