Assessing the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Watershed of the Middle Section of Devoll River

The watershed of the middle section of the Devoll River is located in SE Albania. Due to its complex topography, geomorphology and climate conditions, this area is very rich regarding to higher plant species diversity. More than 30% of Albanian flora is recorded there. Based on field investigation and in interviewing the companies that make plant collection in this area, we aim to give data on the actual flora richness of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP), their economic value as well as their threats. As result, 158 species or about 14% of the flora of this basin are MAP, of which 95% are wild and 5% are cultivated. These species belong to 132 genera and 57 families, and represent about 44% of medicinal and aromatic plants of Albania. The most of MAP species belong to family Lamiaceae (18 species). The life forms spectrum indicates that there are 54 hemicryptophyta, which make the larger life form in the area; meanwhile the chorological spectrum indicates that most of the species have a Eurasian distribution, with around 24%. The month with the greatest number of MAP species in flowering is June, 110 species. About 45 species that represent only 28% of all MAP of this area are collected in the wild. The MAP are exported, by local companies, mostly in USA and Germany, and from them are generated about 546 000 $ per year. More than 50% of this value comes from exportation of Lavandula angustifolia Mill., which is cultivated, and from other wild MAP such are Primula veris L., Juniperus communis L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., Satureja montana L., Malus pumila Mill, Origanum vulgare L., Cistus incanus L., Sideritis raeseri Boiss. & Heldr. etc. Not controlled and standardized collection such is harvesting method, is the main threat of MAP, which on the other side is reflected in biodiversity loss and economic profit