A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON FLORA OF JINGUANG TEMPLE NATURAL RESERVE IN WESTERN YUNNAN

Jinguang Temple natural reserve is situated in the southwest of Yongping County in western Yunnan(99°27'26"~99°36'07"N. lat., 25°7'18"~25°13'44" E.long.) with an elevation of 1150 m. to 2913.2 m. It is located in the southernmost part of the Henduan Mountains, covering an area of 101 square kilometers. Its vegetation can be divided into 6 vegetation types, with its evergreen broad leaf forests being the dominant. Jinguang Temple flora has 4 fundamental characteristics. (1). The flora belongs to the Holarctic Kingdom. However, it is quite evident that the area is a transitive one, and it is closely related to the Yunnan Plateau Region and to southern and southeastern Yunnan where belong to the Paleotropical Kingdom. (2). The geographical elements of the flora are complex, and the flora is dominantly a tropical one with abundant temperate elements as well. The geographical distribution of genera can be divided into 13 types and 15 subtypes. The percentage of tropical genera is 59%, and the percentage of temperate genera, 39.77%. (3). The origin of the flora is ancient. There are many families and genera which are genetically ancient or primitive. In addition, there are 13 monotypic and 43 oligotypic genera. (4). Jinguang Temple is abundant in flora. According to the surveys, there are 5 species of 3 genera of 2 families in Gymnosperm., and about 906 species of 440 genera of 132 families in Angiosperm. Moreover, as an area rich in endemic species, there are 355 species (accounting for 39% of the total species in this area) endemic to China.