J Integr Plant Biol. ›› 1994, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (2): -.

• Research Articles •    

The Cushion Plant in the Hoh Xil Area of Qinghai

Huang Rong-fu   

Abstract: During the first scientific expedition to the Hoh Xil area of Qinghai, the author had collected about 210 speceis of seed plant, which belong to 30 families and 102 genera. Among these plants, 48 species are cushion plant included 8 families and 15 genera. They occupy respectively 26.7% of the total number of the family, 14.7% of the total number of the genus and 22.9% of the total number of the species of the seed plant in this area. Therefore, Qinghai Hoh Xil is the most developed area for the growth of the cushion plant. These cushion plants are morpho-structural and roughly divided into four types: Typical (spongy) cushion plant; Dense clumping cushion plant; Brevi-rhizome or collar tillaring cushion plant; and collar radial dense branching cushion plant. These cushion plants are very much adaptable to the special harmful climate and the adverse nature environment on the plateau platform of Hoh Xil. The community or the population of cushion plant occurs extensively of the various of types of vegetation are very luxurient in the Hoh Xil area. They often become the dominant community or together with often vegetation form a huge landscape of cushion vegetation. The cushion plants are the pioneers in the Hoh Xil area. Their growth cycle, from sprouting, growing, multiplying, flourishing until dying, contribute to the accumulation of soil rich in organic nutrients and create a favourable condition for migration, growth and development of the flora and vegetation in the Hoh Xil area.

Key words: Hoh Xil, Cushion plant, Vegetation

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