The study of vascular plant flora in Chingshuishan area

• Main Authors: Wel-Yu Fang, 方偉宇
• Other Authors: Huey-Chu Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/36161578912804379764

碩士 === 國立東華大學 === 自然資源與環境學系 === 100 === Taiwan is located at the junction of the Asian Continent, East Asian Archipelago and the Philippine Islands, and that’s why a great variety of adjoining plant components is assembled here. The location of Chingshuishan area is near the Tropic of Cancer, and just within a few kilometers, the mountainous terrain elevates from sea level to high peaks of 2000 meters. Under the interaction of climate and the altitudinal gradient, the environment here is diverse and good for plant growth. Meanwhile, the composition of plant species is more complicated so that it’s worth further research on flora. In this study, the author listed the vascular plants of the Chingshuishan area via references, specimen collection, and field surveys. And by using flora research methods, the author analyzed plant species composition (native species, endemic species, alien species), the types of geographic distribution and floristic characteristic (tropical or temperate), numbers of endemic species, ancient plant taxa and rare species types. Doing so, we could understand the general characteristic of the flora in Chingshuishan and provide basic data for plant conservation and education. The result shows that there are 178 families, 773 genera and 1559 species of vascular plants in Chingshuishan area. Among them, 1349 species are native, including 334 endemic species which are accounting for 31% endemic to Taiwan, and that makes Chingshuishan area a hotspot of biodiversity. In the flora analysis, there are 9 types of families, 14 types and 17 subtypes of genera, 15 types and 2 subtypes of species. In which, the characteristic of family and genus is mainly tropical, while the species is temperate mostly, and the characteristic of flora is more of tropical - subtropical transitional area. There is a total of 187 rare species in Chingshuishan area; among them, 81 species are Taiwan’s endemic, 44 species are East Asian types and subtypes, 29 are tropical Asian species, and 24 are China’s endemic. Of all Taiwan’s 81 endemic species found here, Gentiana tarokoensis and Lysimachia chingshuiensis, which are both rated as critically endangered species, are growing only in Chingshuishan and definitely the important natural assets of Chingshuisan.