Plant Diversity

Abstract

The complex terrain, the dramatic altitudinal difference, the various soil types, and the climate conditions have all helped Hubei Shennongjia form diverse habitats and incubate abundant biodiversity. Hubei Shennongjia has an integral ecosystem and the largest primary forests of central China. It makes it an area that has offered a refuge for wild animals and plants since the Quaternary era glaciers and has provided special habitats for lots of ancient relic, rare, endangered and endemic species. Hubei Shennongjia, is situated, within the scope of the eastern Asian flora, in the joint zone of the flora of Sino-Japan and the flora of Sino-Himalaya. The flora of Hubei Shennongjia, largely consisting of temperate plants, is not only an important part of the East Asian flora, but also has a close phylogenetic relationship with the flora of North America. The flora of Hubei Shennongjia is mostly of temperate distribution types, especially the north temperate ones. Hubei Shennongjia have been able to conserve 3767 species of wild higher plants, belonging to 1189 genera and 268 families. The fossil evidence has proven that there are a lot of relic species in the ancient plants in Hubei Shennongjia. All the facts mentioned above show that the flora of Hubei Shennongjia originated as early as the Tertiary period. Specific geographical position, diversity of topographic features, as well as the specificity of its climate, have all made Shennongjia rich in endemic plants. Totally, 234 species have been classified as rare and endangered wild plants in Hubei Shennongjia property. Totally, 523 type specimen plants have been collected from the entire Hubei Shennongjia.