NEW DISTRIBUTION REPORT ONTHE ALIEN SPECIESArtemisiaverlotiorumLAMOTTE(ASTERACEAE-ANTHEMIDEAE) FROM GILGIT-BALTISTAN REGION OF PAKISTAN.

Artemisia verlotiorum Lamotte (Asteraceae) is a species of Artemisia described from Europe but native to East Asia. It is an alien and/or invasive species that has become naturalized in many European regions, Australia, South America, New Zealand, North and South Africa and Western Asia.In continuation of our work on Northeastern Pakistani Artemisia, we report the first local occurrence of Artemisia verlotorum Lamotte from Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan by investigating its geographical distribution and phylogenetic analysis. To date, we have observed this species in stony landscapes of Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan. Phylogenetic analysis of A. verlotiorum with maximum likelihood approach using its ETS (External transcribed spacer)and ITS (Internal transcribed spacer) of nrDNA sequences showed its resemblance with other Artemisia species reported from the world. This species needs to be included in the rare plant species list in the flora of Pakistan following the criteria of IUCN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]