|
|
|
| Expedition finds newly recorded plants in Yunnan |
 |
Text Size: A A A |
|
CAS botanists have recently identified three newly recorded genera of plants in Yunnan Province, namely, Chrysophyllum Linn, Endiandra R. Br. and Tolypanthes Bl.
With the support of the US National Geographic Society, the discoveries were made by Dr. SHUI Yumin and colleagues from the CAS Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB) during two botanical surveys at the Chinese-Vietnamese borderline over the past two years.
Chrysophyllum Linn. in the family Sapotaceae is a middle-sized arbor in tropical rainforests. Its distribution was reported in Guangdong, Hainan and southern part of Guangxi. The new discovery is made in a ravine rainforest about 500m in elevation in Jinping County. Experts say that the new finding indicates the plant's strong affinity to the tropical climate and its phylogenetic liaison with the regional florae in Guangxi and Hainan areas.
Endiandra R. Br. in the family of Lauraceae is a middle-sized arboreal plant in tropical rainforests. It was reported in Taiwan, Guangdong, Hainan and southwest Guangxi. The new specimen was sampled from montane rainforests in Jinping County at an elevation of 800m. The discovery shows the fecundity in Lauraceae plants in southeast Yunnan.
Tolypanthes Bl. in the family of Loranthaceae is a parasite shrub living in the upper part of the arboreal forests. Previously it was discovered in Guizhou and Guangxi. The new samples were collected from 20-meter canopy in mountainous areas 2,000m in elevation in Pingbian County. The rare plant shows the deep-rooted ties in the floral phylogeny between Yunnan and Guangxi or Guizhou.
The above specimens have been kept in KIB Herbarium. |
|
