Plant Diversity ›› 2003, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (02): 1-3.

• Articles •    

The Endemic Genera of Desert Region in the Centre of Asia

ZHAO Yi-Zhi, ZHU Zong-Yuan   

  1. Faculty of Life Science, Inner Mongolia Mongolia University
  • Online:2003-04-25 Published:2003-04-25

Abstract: This paper listed 13 endemic genera that belonged to the desert region of Central Asia systematically, such as Potaninia, Ammopiptanthus, Tetraena, Stilpnolepis, Zollikaferia, Kaschgaria, Elachanthemum, Synstemon, Timouria, Sympegma, Iljinia and Sarcozygium. These monotypic or bitypic genera are isolated in the taxonomy, ancient in origin and advanced in the evolutionary system; they are all xerophytes and most of them are desert species, while in their life-forms shrubs and semi-shrubs are superior in numbers. The origins of all the genera are polygenetic, but the owned a common distributional center in the desert region of Alashan.

Key words: Endemic genera