Biodiversity - GMS-EOC

Sterculla brevissima (top left); flowersellers along the Mekong Delta, VietNam (top right); Musella lasioca(middle); Mekong River palm (bottom)FloraThe subregion is home to an enormous numberof plant species, at least 20,000 and possibly manymore. Thailand has about 12,600, Viet Nam 10,500,and Myanmar 7,000 species of higher plants. About20% of the plant species in Thailand and Viet Namoccur only in those countries. The flora of YunnanProvince, PRC is estimated to contain 14,000 species.There is undoubtedly great overlap between thecountries and considerable overlap with the moretemperate Yunnan Province, PRC. Numbersrecorded depend not only on the actual numbersthat occur, but also on the nature of the country, andefforts taken to survey and collect data. The moreintensively an area is studied, the greater the numberof plants and animals likely to be discovered.The flora in the subregion includes many rareornamental flowers and trees that beautify the entireregion and support a thriving horticulture industryin most of the countries. The flora also includeshighly valued hardwood tree species like teak thatgenerate a major share of the forestry income andare currently the focus of major conservation effortsto stop illegal logging and cross-border trade.Significant numbers of plant species arethreatened with extinction within the subregion,nearly 400 species in Thailand and more than 300in Viet Nam, although only a handful in Cambodia,Lao PDR, and Myanmar. Around 300 species arethreatened in the entire PRC; presumably those inYunnan Province are far fewer.The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan ProtectedAreas (see p. 83), a newly affirmed World HeritageSite, contains the richest diversity of higher plantsin the PRC and a wide spectrum of fungi and lichens.The protected area is one of the world’s leastdisturbed ecological areas. It has 22 vegetationsubtypes and harbors 6,000 plant species. Thisrepresents more than 20% of the PRC’s higher plants,10% of which are endemic to the area.Botanical explorations in the subregioncontinue to yield new plant species. In 1999, a newgenus and species of conifer, Xanthocyparisvietnamensis, was discovered on steep limestoneridges in a mountainous area in northern Viet Nam.In 2002, a new genus and species of fern, Caobangiasquamata, was found in a collection made by aNational Geographic Society expedition.Human activities such as deforestation, illegaltrade of endangered species, and agriculturalencroachment, however, threaten the richness ofplant species in the subregion. Nevertheless, theflora continues to be a resource to be conserved anda beauty to be appreciated.Flowers of YunnanBecause of the unusual natural conditions inYunnan Province, PRC—no extreme cold in winterand no intense heat in summer—the province ishome to 2,500 kinds of ornamental rare flowers anduncommon trees. Yunnan Province, PRC is said toproduce the best quality and cheapest flowers in theworld. Flowers are grown on a vast scale and areproduced with very minimal requirements.The province has a long history of growingflowers. One thousand years ago, people from thearea cultivated flowers to uplift their spirits, decoratetheir gardens, and enhance their environment. InKunming, breeding of flowers began as early as inthe Tang and Song dynasties. Camellias becamepopular and were widely grown during the YuanDynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, there were about 70famous types of ornamental flowers and the numbergrew to more than 180 during the Qing Dynasty andthe rise of the Republic. The province presentlyidentifies “eight famous flowers of Yunnan.” Theyare camellia, rhododendron, indigo, primrose, lily,orchid, rough gentian, and meconopsis. Camelliawas chosen as the city flower of Kunming.In the late 1980s, Yunnan Province, PRC startedto develop a flower industry and the Government ofYunnan decided to support this as a way to boostthe local economy. By 1994, Yunnan Province hadreplaced Shanghai as the flower center of the PRC.80 Greater Mekong Subregion Atlas of the Environment