Overview of higher plant diversity in China

doi:10.17520/biods.2015049

Abstract

Abstract:

According to an overview of higher plant diversity in China, China has 35,112 native species of higher plants belonging to 3,818 genera and 454 families. Among them, there are 3,045 bryophyte species in 602 genera and 151 families, 2,124 pteridophyte species in 176 genera and 38 families, 227 gymnosperm species in 37 genera and 8 families, and 29,716 angiosperm species in 3,003 genera and 257 families. Comparisons with recent estimates of global species diversity suggests that the species diversity of Chinese bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms account for 18.8%, 17.7%, 22.2% and 11.1%, respectively of the global totals. A total of 212 genera are endemic to China with 7 bryophytes, 2 pteridophytes, 7 gymnosperms, and 196 angiosperms. A total of 17,439 species are endemic to China including 524 bryophytes, 840 pteridophytes, 115 gymnosperms, and 15,960 angiosperms. The percentages of endemic species (POES) for each group in the country are 17.2%, 39.6%, 50.7%, and 53.7%, respectively. This translates to a POES of 49.7% for higher plants (including bryophytes, pteridophytes and seed plants), a POES of 52.8% for vascular plants (including pteridophytes and seed plants), and a POES of 53.7% for seeds plants (including gymnosperms and angiosperms). The top 10 families with highest species diversity are Asteraceae (227 genera/2,315 species), Poaceae (215/1,787), Fabaceae (141/1,631), Orchidaceae (205/1,556), Lamiaceae (103/975), Ranunculaceae (38/957), Rosaceae (53/954), Cyperaceae (32/871), Ericaceae (22/841), and Rubiaceae (94/696). The top 12 families with highest endemic genera are Gesneriaceae (26 genera), Asteraceae (18), Orchidaceae (14), Lamiaceae (11), Apiaceae (9), Brassicaceae (9), Apocynaceae (6), Poaceae (6), Melastomataceae (5), Boraginaceae (4), Rubiaceae (4), and Ranunculaceae (4). The top 10 genera with highest species diversity are Rhododendron (588 species), Carex (537), Astragalus (420), Pedicularis (363), Corydalis (357), Primula (310), Saussurea (293), Salix (279), Impatiens (274), and Gentiana (255). The top 10 genera with highest endemic species are: Rhododendron (433 species), Pedicularis (283), Carex (273), Corydalis (258), Astragalus (237), Impatiens (234), Primula (222), Berberis (209), Elatostema (207), and Saussurea (196). Diversity bearing with more than 5,000 species among the seven Chinese provinces is as follows: Yunnan (15,900 species), Sichuan (10,374), Tibet (7,629), Guangxi (7,399), Guizhou (6,405), Guangdong (5,498) and Taiwan (5,290). Among the 17 mega-diversity countries China is ranked the fourth when ordered by total species diversity and, seventh when ordered by POES.

Key words: higher plant, flora, descriptive taxonomy, checklist, China

Lisong Wang, Yu Jia, Xianchun Zhang, Haining Qin. Overview of higher plant diversity in China[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2015, 23(2): 217-224.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2015049

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2015/V23/I2/217

Figures/Tables 5

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科名 Family	属数 No. of genus	特有属数 No. of endemic genera	种数 No. of species	特有种数 No. of endemic species
菊科 Asteraceae	227	18	2,315	1,217
禾本科 Poaceae	215	6	1,787	875
豆科 Fabaceae	141	1	1,631	729
兰科 Orchidaceae	205	14	1,556	601
唇形科 Lamiaceae	103	11	975	603
毛茛科 Ranunculaceae	38	4	957	645
蔷薇科 Rosaceae	53	3	954	570
莎草科 Cyperaceae	32	-	871	341
杜鹃花科 Ericaceae	22	-	841	548
茜草科 Rubiaceae	94	4	696	362

科名 Family	属数 No. of genus	特有属数 No. of endemic genera	种数 No. of species	特有种数 No. of endemic species
菊科 Asteraceae	227	18	2,315	1,217
禾本科 Poaceae	215	6	1,787	875
豆科 Fabaceae	141	1	1,631	729
兰科 Orchidaceae	205	14	1,556	601
唇形科 Lamiaceae	103	11	975	603
毛茛科 Ranunculaceae	38	4	957	645
蔷薇科 Rosaceae	53	3	954	570
莎草科 Cyperaceae	32	-	871	341
杜鹃花科 Ericaceae	22	-	841	548
茜草科 Rubiaceae	94	4	696	362

科名 Family	属名 Genus	属下种数 No. of species	特有种数 No. of endemic species
杜鹃花科 Ericaceae	杜鹃花属 Rhododendron	588	433
莎草科 Cyperaceae	薹草属 Carex	537	273
豆科 Fabaceae	黄芪属 Astragalus	420	237
列当科 Orobanchaceae	马先蒿属 Pedicularis	363	283
罂粟科 Papaveraceae	紫堇属 Corydalis	357	258
报春花科 Primulaceae	报春花属 Primula	310	222
菊科 Asteraceae	风毛菊属 Saussurea	293	196
杨柳科 Salicaceae	柳属 Salix	279	194
凤仙花科 Balsaminaceae	凤仙花属 Impatiens	274	234
龙胆科 Gentianaceae	龙胆属 Gentiana	255	173

科名 Family	属名 Genus	属下种数 No. of species	特有种数 No. of endemic species
杜鹃花科 Ericaceae	杜鹃花属 Rhododendron	588	433
莎草科 Cyperaceae	薹草属 Carex	537	273
豆科 Fabaceae	黄芪属 Astragalus	420	237
列当科 Orobanchaceae	马先蒿属 Pedicularis	363	283
罂粟科 Papaveraceae	紫堇属 Corydalis	357	258
报春花科 Primulaceae	报春花属 Primula	310	222
菊科 Asteraceae	风毛菊属 Saussurea	293	196
杨柳科 Salicaceae	柳属 Salix	279	194
凤仙花科 Balsaminaceae	凤仙花属 Impatiens	274	234
龙胆科 Gentianaceae	龙胆属 Gentiana	255	173

国家 Country	物种数 No. of species	特有种数 No. of endemic species	物种数(平均) No. of species (mean)	特有种数目(平均) No. of endemic species (mean)
澳大利亚 Australia	15,638	14,458	21,171	18,201
巴西 Brazil	50,000-56,000	16,500-18,500	35,578	19,165
中国 China	27,100-30,000	10,000	35,978	17,740
哥伦比亚 Colombia	45,000-51,000	15,000-17,000	48,000	16,000
刚果 Congo	11,000	3,200	11,000	3,200
厄瓜多尔 Ecuador	17,600-21,100	4,000-5,000	19,350	4,500
印度 India	>17,000	7,025-7,875	17,000	7,450
印度尼西亚 Indonesia	37,000	14,800-18,500	37,000	16,650
马达加斯加 Madagascar	11,000-12,000	8,800-9,600	11,350	9,200
马来西亚 Malaysia	15,000	6,500-8,000	15,000	7,250
墨西哥 Mexico	18,000-30,000	10,000-15,000	24,000	12,500
巴布亚新几内亚 Papua New Guinea	15,000-21,000	10,500-16,000	18,000	13,250
秘鲁 Peru	18,000-20,000	5,356	19,000	5,356
菲律宾 Philippines	8,000-12,000	3,800-6,000	10,000	4,900
南非 South Africa	23,420	16,500	21,817	15,370
美国 United States of America	18,956	4,036	18,956	4,036
委内瑞拉 Venezuela	15,000-21,070	5,000-8,000	18,035	6,500