The bryophyte flora of northern Iturup (north-west Pacific): between the circumboreal and East Asian floristic regions

Introduction. The Kuril Islands Chain demarcates the boundary between the circumpolar and East Asian floras in the amphi-Pacific and is a trans-Oceanic migration route from warm-temperate insular East Asia to north-east Asia and Beringia. This paper reviews the flora of the northern part of Iturup Island in regards to its bryogeography and taxonomic diversity, as well as its relative position among other bryophyte floras of north-east and East Asia.

Methods. The paper uses morphological methods to identify the species composition and detrended correspondence analysis to identify the position of the northern Iturup Island in the system of local floras of the eastern, extra-tropical, Pacific.

Key results. The flora is closely related to the bryophyte floras of the southern Kurils and Hokkaido Island, but has been found to be distinctly distant from the ‘true’ cool-temperate East Asian floras, as well as from the boreal and hemiarctic floras of north-east Asia. Instead, the floras of the south Kurils and northern Hokkaido Island belong to a peculiar intermediate phytogeographic province that cannot be unambiguously placed in either the East Asian or circumboreal floristic regions. The hemiboreal character of the bryophyte flora of northern Iturup Island is in contrast to the general appearance of many of the dominant vegetation communities on the island, which are more characteristic of the hemiarctic.

Conclusion. There is no robust evidence to refer the bryophyte flora of northern Iturup either to the circumboreal or East Asian Floristic Region, the flora belongs to a unique intermediate province between the two regions.     

海南铜鼓岭与五指山种子植物属的比较研究

铜鼓岭位于海南省东北部,共有维管植物166科626属984种及变种。五指山位于海南岛中部山区,共有维管植物196科911属2146种及变种。前者共有单型科54科,单种属431属,分别占科和属总数的27.11%,68.74%;后者共有单型科35科,单种属496属,分别占科及属总数17.77%,54.5%。说明五指山物种组成比铜鼓岭的更丰富,但两个区系属内种系分化程度都较弱。区系分析表明:(1)铜鼓岭以泛热带分布占优势,热带亚洲分布次之,分别占该区非世界分布属总数的34.5%和17.8%;五指山以热带亚洲分布占优势,泛热带分布次之,分别占非世界分布属总数的37.5%和24.1%;两个区系热带性质强烈,但前者以泛热带分布为主,后者以热带亚洲成分为主。(2)铜鼓岭共有35种海南特有种,占海南536个海南特有种(变种)的6.53%;五指山共有284个海南特有种,五指山特有种16种,占海南特有种的52.99%,说明其在海南植物区系中比铜鼓岭更重要。     

The Rhaetian flora of Rögla,northern Scania,Sweden

Abstract: Rögla is the northernmost locality yielding Mesozoic plant fossils in Scania, southern Sweden, and is one of the northernmost Rhaetian assemblages in Europe. The assemblage consists of over 500 specimens collected 50–60 years ago, of which 139 yielded identifiable plant remains referable to 15 plant species; another 19 specimens are tentatively assigned to four species because of their fragmentary preservation. The flora includes sphenophytes, ferns, cycads, bennettitaleans, seed ferns of uncertain alliance, conifers and some leaf remains that are tentatively assigned to ginkgophytes based on their epidermal anatomy. The species‐level composition of the assemblage is consistent with a Rhaetian age and is similar to well‐known floras from nearby Höganäs and Bjuv, except for the absence of cycads belonging to Nilssonia, which are very common in most other Scanian floras. The fossil assemblage is interpreted to derive from multi‐storey vegetation occupying moist habitats on a coastal plain. Strong affinities are evident with the coeval floras of Jameson Land, Greenland, reinforcing the concept of a distinctive North Atlantic floristic sub‐province at the close of the Triassic.     

Biogeographical Evidences Help Revealing the Origin of Hainan Island

Both the continental or island origin of Hainan, and the Indo-Malaysian or East Asian affinity of its flora, are debatable. In this study, 196 families, 1283 genera and 3894 species of Hainan plants were recognized. Patterns of seed plant distribution were quantified at the generic and the family levels. The floras of Vietnam, and the adjacent Guangxi and Guangdong provinces of mainland China, were compared with Hainan. The results showed that the flora of Hainan Island is dominated by families and genera with tropical distributions. Among its floristic elements, tropical Asian distributions make up 23.85% of the total flora, while East Asian distributions contribute only 3.74%. There are only 7 genera and c. 10% of species endemic to Hainan Island. The Hainan flora has strong similarities to the flora of Vietnam at the family and the generic levels, and also to the flora of Guangxi, but less with the adjacent Guangdong province. The main conclusions are: Hainan’s flora is tropical in nature with a strongly tropical Asian affinity, and it has very low endemism at the generic and species levels, which implies a continental origin. We conjecture that Hainan Island could have been adjacent to northern Vietnam and the Guangxi at least in Eocene. This suggestion is supported by palaeobotanical, palaeomagnetic and volcanism studies.     

Fossil history of the Menispermaceae (Ranunculales)

The Menispermaceae family (Ranunculales) includes more than 500 extant species. Climbers represent the majority of this family, and these plants are now distributed in all of the tropical and subtropical regions of Americas, Asia and Africa. Their endocarps show a characteristic shape that is easily identified in the fossil floras. Numerous fossil leaves are also mentioned in the literature, but the methods for identifying these fossils are often outdated and need revision. Four tribes of Menispermaceae are present in the fossil record, including Fibraureae, Menispermeae, Pachygoneae and Tinosporeae. Only the Anomospermeae are potentially lacking. The Menispermaceae appear in the Palaeocene, and are common in the Eocene, of Europe and in North America as represented by endocarps and locule-casts. The species of this age show morphological diversification, corresponding with the current familial diversity. A few specimens from the Cretaceous period could be part of this Angiosperm family. Fossils after the Eocene are scarcer, despite several relatively rich outcrops. The maximal expansion of the Menispermaceae during the Palaeocene/Eocene limit correlates with the thermal optimum of the early Tertiary and also parallels the maximal expansion of tropical and subtropical floras. The relative richness of the Eocene era in Menispermaceae could be a consequence of more intense sampling in some regions. The bias in tribe representation can be explained by evolution, ecology or taphonomic hypotheses.     

广东内伶仃岛植物区系的研究

通过对广东内伶仃岛的维管植物区系进行全面考察、采集、鉴定和研究,结果表明,（1）共有野生维管植物127科367属551种,其中蕨类植物20科25属38种,种子植物107科342属513种,12种为广东新记录;（2）种子植物区系的表征科主要有：樟科、茜草科、夹竹桃科,番茄枝科,大戟科、桑科、冬青科,芸香科、葡萄科、五加科、紫金牛科、荨麻科、防己科、天南星科、棕榈科等;（3）属的地理成分以泛热带分布为主,其次为旧世界热带及东亚分砷;（3）通过与邻近地区植物区 的比较,发现内伶仃岛与香港植物区系相似性最高,与古田、古兜山的相似性次之,而与南昆山的相似性较低,它们均属于华夏植物区系界的华南省。     

Long-term variation in algal intertidal floras

A long-term study (1973-9) was made of the intertidal floras of two headlands, one exposed to the ocean, the other in a bay. Many algal species varied erratically in frequency or occurrence from year to year, apparently due to local chance causes, but in some years many species showed reductions in frequency. In these years the changes in the flora appear to be associated with sand movements, which are possibly due to locally damaging storms. Recovery of the floras follows these depressions, but it is stressed that this recovery depends on the existence of a reservoir of spore-producing plants which in turn depends on the maintenance of good water quality in the sea. The naturally occurring variations in floras are greater than are any induced by a low volume well-treated sewerage outfall, except in the immediate area of the outfall.     

A biogeographical study on tropical flora of southern China

The tropical climate in China exists in southeastern Xizang (Tibet), southwestern to southeastern Yunnan, southwestern Guangxi, southern Guangdon, southern Taiwan, and Hainan, and these southern Chinese areas contain tropical floras. I checked and synonymized native seed plants from these tropical areas in China and recognized 12,844 species of seed plants included in 2,181 genera and 227 families. In the tropical flora of southern China, the families are mainly distributed in tropical areas and extend into temperate zones and contribute to the majority of the taxa present. The genera with tropical distributions also make up the most of the total flora. In terms of geographical elements, the genera with tropical Asian distribution constitute the highest proportion, which implies tropical Asian or Indo‐Malaysia affinity. Floristic composition and geographical elements are conspicuous from region to region due to different geological history and ecological environments, although floristic similarities from these regions are more than 90% and 64% at the family and generic levels, respectively, but lower than 50% at specific level. These differences in the regional floras could be influenced by historical events associated with the uplift of the Himalayas, such as the southeastward extrusion of the Indochina geoblock, clockwise rotation and southeastward movement of Lanping–Simao geoblock, and southeastward movement of Hainan Island. The similarity coefficients between the flora of southern China and those of Indochina countries are more than 96% and 80% at family and generic levels, indicating their close floristic affinity and inclusion in the same biogeographically floristic unit.     

中国种子植物区系定量化研究 Ⅱ.多地区种子植物区系研究实用程序工作原理(DDBJ-系列程序)

本文介绍了定量化研究多个种子植物区系的电子计算机程序（DDAI）工作原理,简要讨论以共有属构建的区系间相似关系问题。应用本文提出的程序,可一次性完成所有被研究区系种子植物分布区类型的统计及有关的计算工作,同时也可根据各分布区类型及总体共有属,构建各个区系间的相似性系数及其他有关的参数。本文以中国若干种子植物区系原始资料统计计算为例提供的CAR（Computer Aided Research）方法,可对全面深入地研究中国种子植物区系,提供强有力的工具。     

Biogeographical Divergence of the Flora of Yunnan,Southwestern China Initiated by the Uplift of Himalaya and Extrusion of Indochina Block

The floral composition of Yunnan is conspicuously linked to the biogeographical history of this extremely species-rich province in southwestern China. The floristic compositions of three representative regions in Yunnan were compared to reveal their variation with geography. From southern Yunnan, 4150 native species (including subspecies and varieties) from 1240 genera and 183 families of seed plants were recognized. From central Yunnan 3389 native species from 1095 genera and 167 families of seed plants were recognized. From northwestern Yunnan 6807 native species from 1296 genera and 166 families of seed plants were recognized. Although these three floras across Yunnan are similar in familial composition, similarities between the floras of southern and northwestern Yunnan are low at the generic and specific levels. The flora of northwestern Yunnan is dominated by families and genera with cosmopolitan and north temperate distributions, while the flora of southern Yunnan is dominated by tropical families and genera. Northwestern Yunnan is composed largely of temperate genera, of which the highest proportion has a north temperate distribution. In contrast, southern Yunnan has mainly tropical genera, of which most have a tropical Asian distribution. The flora of central Yunnan is a combination of southern and northwestern Yunnan. These three floras might be derived from a common Tertiary tropical or subtropical East Asian flora, but the geological history of each region has influenced its flora, and they have remained divergent since the late Tertiary. The flora of northwestern Yunnan has evolved with the uplift of the Himalayas and by gradual proliferation of mainly cosmopolitan and north temperate floristic elements, while the flora of southern Yunnan has evolved with extrusion of the Indochina block and the influence of mainly tropical Asian elements.     

Callospermarion ovules from the Early Permian of northern China: palaeofloristic and palaeogeographic significance of callistophytalean seed-ferns in the Cathaysian flora

A distinctive kind of anatomically preserved cardiocarpalean ovule is described from the Early Permian Taiyuan Formation of northern China. Ovules are small, have 180° rotational symmetry, and possess variably thick integuments with prominent secretory cavities that may be empty, filled with resinous materials and in several instances appear to contain animal coprolites. Comparisons show that (where known) these features conform to those of Callospermarion undulatum (Neely) Rothwell, to which they are assigned, previously only known from the Pennsylvanian of Euramerica. These fossils represent the first indisputable occurrence of the genus Callospermarion in the Early Permian Cathaysian floras, and show the presence of callistophytalean seed-ferns in this palaeofloristic realm for the first time. These data combined with results from previous investigations now support the Early Permian northern Cathaysian flora including the Taiyuan Formation having evolved from the Late Carboniferous and earliest Permian Euramerican flora, with which it shares far too many generic level similarities for these co-occurrences to be coincidental. Our hypothesis is therefore that the Early Permian flora of the northern Cathaysian realm represents the continued evolution of wetland Euramerican-type coal-swamp floras, and as such is likely to present a model for evolutionarily driven floral change as opposed to the climatically driven floral changes observed in the Euramerican flora after the demise of coal-swamp environments. The distribution of coprolites in and immediately around glandular cavities in this species suggests specialised syndromes of herbivory existed in Early Permian Cathaysian ecosystems, with herbivores preferentially selecting these areas of the ovule integument.     

The Effect of Typhoons on the Diversity and Distribution Pattern of Aquatic Plants on Hainan Island,South China

Typhoons are an important meteorological feature of the tropical southwest Pacific. However, little is known about their effects on aquatic plants. Here, we describe the potential influence of typhoons on the diversity and distribution of aquatic plants on Hainan Island, South China. Using a combination of field survey and published data, 266 species or sub‐species belonging to 115 genera in 57 families were found across typhoon impacted regions of the island. Multiple regression analysis indicated that species richness of aquatic plants was correlated with typhoon incidence rather than the area of aquatic habitat within each region. Heavy rainfall, flooding, and strong winds are likely to create suitable habitats and increase the diversity of aquatic habitats in regions frequently affected by typhoons, which may explain the higher species richness found in those regions. Beta diversity and cluster analyses showed that distinct aquatic floras occurred in regions that were impacted by different typhoon pathways. By comparing the aquatic floras of the Philippines and the typhoon‐affected regions of Hainan, we suggest that typhoons have the potential to transport aquatic plants long distances, although there are a number of other potential explanations for the patterns observed in the aquatic flora of Hainan Island.     

湘南地区晚奥陶世的江西笔石(Jiangxigraptus)*

本文对甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗世植物群地质时代及植物区系进行了探讨, 共统计植物大化石 18 属 53 种, 主要包括银杏纲 10 属 24 种, 真蕨纲 5 属 22 种, 苏铁纲 1 属 3 种, 松柏纲 1 属 2 种, 楔叶纲 1 属 2 种。该植物群在组成特征上表现为银杏类、真蕨类植物繁盛, 其他植物类群相对贫乏。基于该植物群特征与国内其他植物群的对比, 提出其地质时代为中侏罗世 Aalenian 期–Bajocian 期。通过哈曼、欧式距离、罗杰斯–塔尼莫特和索卡尔–施尼斯 4 种方法对宝积山盆地及中国北方其余 11 个中侏罗世植物群进行系统聚类分析, 在此基础上进一步划分了中国北方植物区系。通过计算属、种相似性系数,探讨宝积山邻近植物区系间的亲缘关系, 结果表明宝积山植物区系与同属西北地区的华亭植物区系关系较为亲近。     

甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗世植物群地质时代及植物区系探讨

本文对甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗世植物群地质时代及植物区系进行了探讨,共统计植物大化石18属53种,主要包括银杏纲10属24种,真蕨纲5属22种,苏铁纲1属3种,松柏纲1属2种,楔叶纲1属2种。该植物群在组成特征上表现为银杏类、真蕨类植物繁盛,其他植物类群相对贫乏。基于该植物群特征与国内其他植物群的对比,提出其地质时代为中侏罗世Aalenian期–Bajocian期。通过哈曼、欧式距离、罗杰斯–塔尼莫特和索卡尔–施尼斯4种方法对宝积山盆地及中国北方其余11个中侏罗世植物群进行系统聚类分析,在此基础上进一步划分了中国北方植物区系。通过计算属、种相似性系数,探讨宝积山邻近植物区系间的亲缘关系,结果表明宝积山植物区系与同属西北地区的华亭植物区系关系较为亲近。     

The Latest Cretaceous Flora of Heilongjiang Province and the Floristic Relationship Between East Asia and North America (Cont.)

The present paper deals with a collection of plant fossils from the Wuyun Group of Heilongjiang Province. These fossils belong to 28 families, 39 genera and 53 species. The flora is composed of 7 species of pteridophytes, 8 of conifers and 37 of angiosperms. All have been fully described, of which ten are new species. Most elements of this flora are subtropic or warm-temperate, with only a few of them are temperate ones. The flora consists of conifers and broad-leaved trees adapted to humid warm-temperate or subtropic climate. With the physiognomy of leaves, 40 per cent of them are of entire margin, and most are medium-sized, with some megaphyllous. The nervation is mostly palmate. These characters indicate that the climate was warm-temperate or subtropic. Among 35 genera known from the Late Cretaceous of East Asia, 27 are also found in North America, which indicates that the floristic relationship between East Asia and North Americal was closer at that time than it is now. Therefore the number of genera in common has been decreasing through the age, because these two regions have been detached from each other since the late Eocene, as a result of continental drift. Only some relic forms left on both sides, and only 4.1% of genera are common to both continents. After the early Tertiary the floras of East Asia and North America have been developing independently. The Chinese flora of the Late Cretaceous may be divided into three Zones from the north to the south: (1) warm temperate-subtropic zone, rich in Metasequoia, Ginkgo, Trochodendroides, Platanus, Trochodendron, Protophyllum, Ampelopsis Pterospermites and Menispermites; (2) subtropic or dry subtropic transitional zone; and (3) subtropictropic zone, rich in Brachyphyllum, Cinnamomum, Nectandra and Palms. The Wuyun flora is considered closely related to the Chajiayang Group and SikhoteAlin flora of USSR, with 15 genera in common and also related to the Kuji flora of Japan (Cenonian), with 11 genera in common. It is interesting to note that 11 genera are also found in North America (Canada and Alaska) of the Late Cretaceous. The palynological assemblage of the Wuyun flora is closely related to Minshui flora of the Souliao Basin, 15 genera being common to the both. Seventy per cent of megafossils of the Wuyun flora have become extinct, which seems to show that the age of the flora is older than Paleocene and is assigned to the Latest Late Crataceous (Maestrichtian-Dani-an).     

DIOECISM AND ITS CORRELATES IN THE CAPE FLORA OF SOUTH AFRICA

Floral sexuality is characterized for the flora of the Cape region of South Africa. Among angiosperms (N = 8,497), monostylous hermaphroditism constitutes the largest proportion of species with 77.7%, followed by gynomonoecism (7.1%), dioecism (6.6%), andromonoecism (4.0%), monoecism (2.6%), heterostylous hermaphroditism (1.9%), polygamomonoecism (0.01%) and polygamodioecism (0.01%). The incidence of dioecism is significantly higher (P < 0.001) at the species level for two smaller floras within the Cape flora that consist mostly of species-rich fynbos vegetation (Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve: 11.6% [N = 1,349], Cape Hangklip: 9.7% [N = 1,046]). The relatively high incidence of dioecism in all three floras compared to other temperate floras is due to the large number of Restionaceae species. Excluding these rush-like plants, dioecism at the species level is only 3.0% for the Cape flora, 4.2% for the Cape Hangklip flora and 3.6% for the Cape of Good Hope flora. At the generic level there are no significant differences in the incidence of dioecism between the three floras. Among dioecious species and genera in the Cape flora, there is a higher than expected incidence of wind pollination, fleshy fruits and nonwoodiness when each variable is analyzed independently. The association between nonwoodiness and dioecy has not been reported for other floras and is due to the large proportion of nonwoody wind-pollinated Restionaceae. If this family is excluded from the analysis, dioecy becomes associated with biotic pollination, fleshy fruits, and woodiness. Interactions among the variables themselves as well as with dioecism indicate the need for a joint analysis of the variables. At the genus level, analyses reveal the following: 1) There is a higher than expected incidence of wind pollination among dioecious plants with dry fruits. If the Restionaceae are excluded from the analysis, wind pollination is more common than expected only for woody plants with dry fruits. 2) Dioecious plants that are biotically pollinated have a significantly higher incidence of fleshy fruits than expected. 3) Dioecious plants with dry fruits that are biotically pollinated have a higher than expected incidence of woodiness. If the Restionaceae are excluded from the analysis, woodiness is more common than expected among both nonwind and wind-pollinated dioecious genera.     

Transit towards floristic homogenization on oceanic islands in the south-eastern Pacific: comparing pre-European and current floras

Aim  To quantify the occurrence of processes of homogenization or differentiation in the vascular flora of six oceanic islands.
Location  Six islands in the south-eastern Pacific drawn from the Desventuradas Archipelago, Easter Island and the Juan Fernández Archipelago.
Methods  Using published floristic studies, we determined the floristic composition of each island at two different stages: (1) pre-European colonization and (2) current flora. We compared changes in the number of shared plants and the floristic similarity among islands for each stage.
Results  The number of plant species doubled from 263 in pre-European flora to 531 species currently. Only three native species became extinct, four natives were translocated among the islands and 271 plant species were introduced from outside. The frequency of plant species shared by two or more islands is higher in the post-European floras than prior to European contact, and the level of floristic similarity between islands increased slightly.
Main conclusions  Considering the low naturalization rate of alien plants, the small number of extinctions and the meagre increase in floristic similarity, these islands are undergoing a slow process of floristic homogenization.     

Plant Biodiversity in China: Richly Varied, Endangered, and in Need of Conservation

China is among the world's richest countries in terms of plant biodiversity. Besides the abundant flora, containing some 33,000 vascular plants (30,000 angiosperms, 250 gymnosperms, and 2600 pteridophytes), there is extraordinary ecosystem diversity, as well as a large pool of both wild and cultivated germplasms. China is also considered one of the main centers of origin and diversification for seed plants on Earth, and is especially profuse in phylogenetically primitive taxa and/or paleoendemics due to the refuge role glaciation played during the Quaternary period. The collision with the Indian subcontinent significantly enriched Chinese flora and led to the formation of many neoendemisms. However, flora distribution remains uneven, and some local floristic hotspots are found across China, such as Yunnan, Sichuan and Taiwan. Unfortunately, this biodiversity faces enormous threats, which have increased substantially over the last 50 years. The combined effects of habitat destruction and/or fragmentation, environmental contamination, over-exploitation of natural resources, and to a lesser extent, introduction of exotic species, have caused irreparable damage to China's plant biodiversity. Burgeoning economic and population growth have also contributed to this deterioration. It is believed that up to 5000 flora species are currently endangered in China, with some taxa having already become extinct. Although in recent years government authorities have made some efforts to preserve biodiversity, much work remains to be done. While China has established an extensive network of nature reserves and protected areas, encompassing more than 16% of the total land area, insufficient budgetary and staffing commitments are common limitations in their management structures. Ex-situ conservation is also deficient, primarily because the botanical gardens are not representative of several local floras, nor are they often of adequate size or representative of endangered species. The lack of effective and efficient environmental legislation and education are also problems that continue to accelerate the loss of plant biodiversity in China.     

FIRST RECORD OF NILSSONIOPTERIS (GYMNOSPERMOPHYTA, BENNETTITALES) FROM THE CARNIAN (UPPER TRIASSIC) OF LUNZ, LOWER AUSTRIA

Abstract:  The Carnian (Late Triassic) flora of Lunz in Lower Austria is famous for an abundance of well-preserved bennettitalean and cycadalean foliage and reproductive structures. However, only the fertile remains have been studied in detail to date. Recently completed systematic macromorphological and cuticular analyses of leaf fossils from Lunz revealed that several forms previously accommodated in the genus Macrotaeniopteris do not represent ferns but rather Bennettitales assignable to the genus Nilssoniopteris . We describe three species of Nilssoniopteris , which represent the first records for this genus from Lunz, and one of the earliest accounts of Nilssoniopteris in the Northern Hemisphere. The following new combinations are introduced: Nilssoniopteris haidingeri (Stur ex Krasser, 1909 a ) comb. nov., N. angustior (Stur ex Krasser, 1909 a ) comb. nov. and N. lunzensis (Stur ex Krasser, 1909 a ) comb. nov. The discovery of Nilssoniopteris further substantiates the significance of the Lunz flora as one of the richest and most diverse early Late Triassic floras from the Northern Hemisphere.     

Succession of the Floras in Xizang during Upper Cretaceous-Paleogene and Neogene

This paper mainly deals with the Upper Cretaecous-Paleogene and the Neogene floras of Xizang. In 1974–1976. the Scientific Expedition Party of Academia Sinica discovered some fossilbearing beds from the Rikaze Group of Angreg district, the Jiuwu Formation of Douga district and the Menchi Formation of the Gandis Mountains. From these beds, leaf impressions of Eucalyptus angusta, E. geinitzi, E. oblongifolia, Ficus daphnoycnoides, F. stepheuseni, F. myrtifolia, Cassia fayattensis, C. marshalensis, Celastrus minor, Quereus orbicularis, Rhamnus menshigensis, Juglandites sinutus, Phrynium tibeticum Cyperacites of. haydenii and Typha sp. were obtained. Of which the genus Eucalyptus appears to be predominant. The geological age of this flora is assigned to Upper Cretaceous-Paleogene. It indicates that during this time the flora is mainly composed of evergreen broad-leaved trees thriving under a hot and wet climate. Fossils obtained from the Ye-Ma-Gou Formation of Gandis Mountains mainly consist of Populus balsamoides, P. latior, P. glandulifera, Salix sp. and Leguminosites sp. The age of this flora is assigned to Miocene, the fossils indicate that by that time deciduous broad-leaved trees were flourishing in that area. The Miocene of the Wulong Formation consists of Quercus semicarpifotia, Q. pannosa, Q. senscens, Q. spathulata, and some species of Thuja, Sabiua, Spiraca, Carpinus, Betula and Rhododendron the flora is mainly composed of evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved trees and along with some conifers, and was thriving under a cooler and arid climate. This flora is quite different from the previous one which caused by the uplift of the Himalayas. The composition of this flora is very similar to the Neogene flora of Yunnan which indicates that at that time Xizang and Yunnan probable belong to the same floristic province. The discovery of Eucalyptus in Xizang shows that the climate of Xizang during Upper Cretaeeous-Paleogene was much warmer than that of Tibet at present. It also shows that this genus which now flourishes in Australia may originate from the northern hemisphere.