Species Composition and Floral Components of Vascular Plants in Ganjiahu Nature Reserve of Xinjiang

Based on field investigations and relevant literature, the flora and geographical compositions of vascular plants were studied in Ganjiahu Nature Reserve of Xinjiang. Results showed that there were 448 species of wild vascular plants, belonging to 236 genera and 62 families and including 2 families, 2 genera, and 3 species in Pteridophyta; 1 family, 1 genus, and 4 species in Gymnospermae; and 59 families, 233 genera, and 441 species in Angiospermae. There were 5 dominant families, Chenopodiaceae, Asteraceae, Gramineae, Brassicaceae, Leguminosae, which accounted for 49.15% and 51.12% of genera and species, respectively. Species numbers in each genus varied from 1 to 13, though 61.02% of genera contained only 1 species. Life forms were diverse, with herbs (375), shrubs (65), trees (5) and vines (3) accounting for 83.71%, 14.51%, 1.12% and 0.67% of species, respectively. Plant community composition was simple and consisted of typical desert vegetation. Haloxylon ammodendron communities and Haloxylon persicum communities were the most important elements, with super-xerophytic shrubs, desert shrubs, small shrubs, and herbs also found. The 60 seed plant families could be classified into 4 areal-types and 7 subtypes. North temperate elements (14 families) were dominant, accounting for 56.00%. The 234 seed plant genera could be divided into 12 types and 12 subtypes. North temperate elements (73 genera) were dominant, accounting for 37.44%. Overall, the plants exhibited obvious temperate elements, with close affinity to the Mediterranean, Central Asia and East Asia, but limited tropical elements.