Areography of the Gymnosperms of China (1) Distribution of the Pinaceae of China
中国裸子植物分布区的研究(1)——松科植物的地理分布

Nine of 10 genera and 119 of approximately 240 species of the Pinaceae occur in China, including 67 endemic species and two endemic genera. In this paper, the distributional maps of all the genera of the Pinaceae are presented (fig. 1-8). The horizontal and vertical distributions of species in each genus are discussed. The analysis of the distribution patterns of the genera indicates that some genera, such as Keteleeria, Tsuga, Pseudotsuga, Cathaya and Pseudolarix, are restricted to the area south of the Qinling Mountains and the Huaihe River, and the others, i. e. Picea, Abies, Larix and Pinus, extend northward to northeastern China. However, all of the genera except Keteleeria and Pinus are not found in very dry areas and tropical mountainous regions of China. The monotypic genera, Cathaya and Pseudolarix, are distributed in eastern and central China. The genus Keteleeria consists of 10 species, 7 of which are concentrated in southern Guizhou, northern Guangxi, southwestern Hunan and easternmost Yunnan. The distribution of the remaining 6 genera shows the maximum concentration in western Sichuan and northwestern Yunnan. (Figs. 2-8). Furthermore, more than third of species of the Pinaceae (37.8%) are also concentrated in western Sichuan and northwestern Yunnan. where a great variety of ha- bitats and different topographic features occur. It is apparent that to conduct our systematic and evolutionary studies on this family in these region is especially needed. The relations between the areal size and the tolerance of species are discussed. The distri- butions of macrofossils and microfossils of the genera of the Pinaceae ia China are given, and it has been proved that areas of most genera of the family were considerably larger in the past. than at present.