Abstract:

Impatiens is distributed mainly in the tropical and subtropical mountains of the Old World and has strict requirements on the growth environment. In-depth analysis of its geographical distribution pattern and characteristics can provide a basis for germplasm resources investigation and utilization. In this study, the species list of wild Impatiens in China was updated through systematic literature retrieval, and the geographical distribution database of wild Impatiens in China was established by integrating their information of distribution, altitude and endemism. Up to March 2022, 352 wild Impatiens species (including 18 varieties, 1 subspecies and 1 form) have been recorded in China, 273 of which are endemic to China. Impatiens is distributed in all provinces of China except Shanghai. There are 165 species in Yunnan, where has the highest species richness and endemism at the provincial level, followed by Sichuan with 119 species, Tibet with 69 species. At the county level, Gongshan County and Tengchong City ranks first in species richness with 51 species, followed by Fugong County with 42 species. In China, the distribution of Impatiens presents a pattern of diffusion from the tropics and subtropics zone to high latitudes and high altitudes. The broad sense Hengduan Mountain area, southern Tibet, Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi karst area and middle-lower Yangtze River Plain are hot spots for the concentrated distribution of Impatiens.

Key words: Impatiens, species diversity, endemic species, geographic distribution