Abstract:

Qingyunshan Provincial Nature Reserve is situated in southeast of Wengyuan County, Guangdong Province, China. Its plant species diversity was studied based on field investigation, literatures check and specimens collected. There were 1336 vascular plant species, including species, subspecies, varieties and forms, of which there were 132 taxa of lycophytes and ferns belonging to 62 genera and 24 families, and 6 taxa of gymnosperms belonging to 4 genera and 4 families, and 1198 taxa of angiosperms belonging to 588 genera and 148 families. The dominant and typical families of angiosperms are Lauraceae, Fagaceae and Aquifoliaceae et al. The vegetation has a certain transitional nature from Mid-subtropics to South-subtropics. According to the distribution characteristics of endemic species in China, this area is closely related to southern Hunan, northeastern Guangxi and southwestern Jiangxi, which reflects the consistency and integrity to the flora of Nanling Mountains. The plants species and vegetation types in Qingyunshan Provincial Nature Reserve are rich, in which 48 species are rare and endangered plants. In the light of the distribution features and protection status of rare plant resources in this nature reserve, it is suggested that some areas with more concentrated distribution of rare and endangered plants, such as Yuandong and Qingshankou, should be taken as priority protected areas.

Key words: Qingyunshan Nature Reserve, species diversity, floristic elements, rare and endangered plants