Investigation of medicinal plants diversity of south slopes of touchal elevations

This study was conducted in Touchal mountain region located in north of Tehran. The highest altitude is Touchal peak with 3960 meters above the sea level. The present study was carried out to introduce the medicinal plants, particularly anticancer ones with their life forms. Medicinal plants were collected during 2006–2009 frequently, then they were identified again exactly by local flora and other reliable resources. The gathered list of medicinal plants was adjusted with pharmacognosy handbooks and herbal medicines guides. Anticancer ones were derived and classified in the other list. 40 anticancer plants were identified among of 144 medicinal species from 132 genera belong to 53 families. The largest plant family was Lamiaceae with 28 species. The life forms spectrum classified according to the Raunkaier classes revealed that they include Phanerophytes 12%, Chamaephytes 20%, Hemicryptophytes 55%, Geophytes 2%, Helophytes 1% species and Therophytes 16%. High frequency of Hemicryptophytes in this region is a reason to existence an environmemt with cold and temperate climate, also absence or low frequency of geophytes indicated a deficit and shallow soil. Enough precipitations and existence of ever rivers and waterfalls lead to presence of high frequency of lamiaceae species and some of Fern species, particularly near the rivers and wet parts. Dracocephalum, Melissa, Thymus, and Ziziphora were the most important of medicinal species. 14 species were in threatened status; among of them, Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss. Is an endemic and rare species, has endangered status that distribute on mountainous areas; rocky, stony slopes and calcareous rocks.