Abstract:

Aims: In recent years, molecular phylogenetic studies have prompted some changes in the names and taxonomic status of genera and species of Poaceae in China. Concurrently, the digitization of specimen information has provided vast amounts of species distribution data. Therefore, it is necessary to consolidate these changes to update the checklist of Poaceae in China and to investigate the diversity composition and distribution patterns of Chinese Poaceae from multiple perspectives. 

Methods: Based on data collected from references such as Flora of China and the Catalogue of Life China: 2025 Annual Checklist, as well as online databases including the Tropicos, and combined with species distribution records obtained from the Chinese Virtual Herbarium (CVH), the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and field investigations, we update the checklist of Poaceae in China and provide a statistical analysis of its composition and distribution. 

Results: The statistical results indicate that there were 2,304 species of Poaceae in China, belonging to 283 genera, 37 tribes, and 10 subfamilies. Among these, native species accounted for 1,978, which belonging to 232 genera, 34 tribes, and 10 subfamilies (including 12 endemic genera and 1,028 endemic species). With this native species richness, Poaceae ranked as the second largest family of seed plants in China, following Asteraceae. The alien flora consisted of 326 species from 109 genera, 20 tribes, and 8 subfamilies; cultivated plants constituted the majority (69%). Among the native species, the subfamilies Pooideae (746 species, 74 genera) and Bambusoideae (712 species, 46 genera) were the two most species-rich. At the genus level, Bambusa (99 species) and Elymus (96 species) were the two largest genera in terms of species number. The centers of generic and species diversity for native Poaceae were located in Southwestern and Southern China, which harbor 92% of genera and 76% of species nationwide. Regarding conservation status, there were 29 national key protected wild species (from 21 genera), 54 threatened species (from 31 genera), and 16 provincial protected species (from 15 genera). The top 15 herbaria collectively house 73% of all Poaceae specimens in China, and most of these herbaria were affiliated with institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Furthermore, specimen collections were concentrated in large genera and widely distributed species, while collections of oligotypic genera and narrow-range endemic species remained relatively insufficient. 

Conclusion: This study updates the checklist of Poaceae species in China, analyzes the characteristics of their diversity, and summarizes the status of specimen preservation and collection. It can serve as a scientific basis for taxonomic and phylogenetic research, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable utilization of Poaceae resources.

Key words: China, Poaceae, biodiversity, checklist, specimen collection