Origin and differentiation of endemism in the flora of China

The style–length of the female florets and their fate in two dioecious species of Xishuangbanna, China

“…ex Miq. (section Sycidium) and Ficus hispida L. (section Sycocarpus) are both small-to medium-sized free-standing trees and dioecious species (Wu et al 2003). The inflorescences of F. hispida are pollinated by Ceratosolen solmsi marchali Mayr (Yang et al 2002), while those of F. cyrtophylla are pollinated by Blastophaga sp.…”

Study on the Pauropoda from Tibet, China. Part I. The genera Decapauropus and Hemipauropus (Myriapoda)

“…Meanwhile, located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, Motuo has a typical sub-tropical climate, warm and rainy all year round. The diversity of plants and animals in Motuo is rich in tropical species, with many endemic species (Wu et al 2005, Zhang 2011). In this study, a similar situation in soil-dwelling pauropods was found, especially for the genus Hemipauropus , which is recorded for the first time in China.…”

Conservation of Chinese Plant Diversity: An Overview

“…This wealth of species diversity and endemism is attributable to a series of factors largely related to the biogeography, tectonics and geological history of the country, including: (i) a complex and extended geological history, with many tectonic events, (ii) a large proportion of the area of China within tropical and subtropical latitudes, (iii) the wide and persistent connection of China to tropical regions of Southeast Asia as well as with other regions, (iv) an unbroken connectivity between tropical, subtropical, temperate, and boreal forests, (v) a highly rugged and dissected topography (especially in southern China), and (vi) perhaps the most significant, reduced extinction rates during the late Cenozoic global cooling (e.g. Tiffney, 1985;Latham & Ricklefs, 1993;Axelrod et al, 1996;Guo et al, 1998;Guo, 1999;Qian & Ricklefs, 1999;Qian, 2001Qian, , 2002Ying, 2001;López-Pujol et al, 2006, 2011Qian et al, 2006;Wu et al, 2007;Li, 2008 One of the main features of Chinese vascular flora is its ancient origin; the modern flora of China is still showing a strong relictual character (Thorne, 1999;Qian & Ricklefs, 1999;Qian, 2001;López-Pujol & Ren, 2010;López-Pujol et al, 2011). This is directly linked to the geologic history of China's landmass, with some of the events influencing the flora composition tracing back to the early Mesozoic.…”

“…Ying & Zhang, 1984;Wang, 1989;Wu & Wu, 1996;Li, 2008), and this is reflected in the exceptional richness of several phylogenetically primitive vascular plant groups in China; e.g., pteridophytes, gymnosperms, magnolids, and ranunculids (Qian & Ricklefs, 1999;Qian, 2001). China has a significantly higher number of ancient endemic genera and families than the United States (Qian, 2001), and most of the endemic genera of spermatophytes of China (about 240) are of ancient origin (Ying & Zhang, 1984;Ying et al, 1993;Wu et al, 2007). Moreover, a more recent study has revealed that the relict (pre-Quaternary) component of the modern endemic seed flora at the infrageneric (species and subspecies) level is considerable (around 40%; the remaining 60% are taxa of Pleistocene origin).…”