Primary research on the halophyte flora in Xinjiang

There are about 305 species, 15 var. and 7 subspecies of halophytes, which belong to 38 families and 124 genera in Xinjiang according to the field investigation and reference. The numbers of halophyte families, genera and species account for 38.0%, 17.3% and 8.9% respectively in the total numbers of families, genera and species of spermatophyte floras in Xinjiang. The halophytes account for about 60% of total amount of that in China. About 35% of the halophytes in Xinjiang has not been embodied in ‘The Halophytes of China’and about 50% of the halophytes not embodied in‘The Halophytes Database of the World’. The analysis of the halophyte flora shows that about 63.9% of species are concentratively distributed in 4 families, i.e. Chenopodiaceae, Compositae, Leguminosae and Gramineae, and most of the community-constructed species of halophytic vegetation originally come from central-Asia or Mediterranean Sea. It indicates that the halophytic vegetation in Xinjiang has obvious xero-characteristics.