Floral Resources and Diversity of Palm in Yunnan

Based on a lot of field investigation, specimens studies, and literature analysis, the palm resources, distribution, utilization and diversity in Yunnan was studied. The research results showed that there are 22 genera and 70 species and varieties of palm distributed in Yunnan, it is means that Yunnan is very important area of palm distribution. There are all of 4 types on life forms in Yunnan, and the trees and shrubs types occupied the mainly component, but it was some climbing species in this province, meanwhile, clustered species far more than the solitary species. Palms plants with obvious horizontal and verticality distribution rules in Yunnan, which showed that have significantly horizontal distribution. In verticality distribution, where formed Xishuangbanna distribution centre; for verticality distribution, there are rich palms resources in 500−1 500 m elevation areas. There are 7 areal-types of palms in Yunnan, the dominant areal type of palm species in China is the type of tropical Asia distribution, meanwhile has a lots of species in old world tropics type. There is utilization diversity of palms plants in Yunnan, such as ornamental landscape, edibility value, medical maintenance, weaving technology, religion, culture, and other uses of palm, which constituted a pattern with rich and colorful palm plants in Yunnan.