Abstract:

 From the study of the geographical distribution of Chinese lauraceous genera and

species, we may concludely obtained some results as follows:

     1)  Lauraceous family is a pantropical one in distribution, sometimes it may be

reached to the subtropical or temperate zone.  There are 18 genera in China natively.

Among them 17 genera are of the tropical distribution-pattern.  The tropical Asia dis-

tribution-pattern, i.e. Indo-malaysian distribution-pattern, is the nucleus of Chinese

lauraceous flora.  Only 1 genus is of temperate distribution-pattern, i.e. the East Asia-

North America distribution-pattern. From the analysis of the primitive forms and the

concentration of species in these genera, we may regard that:  a)  All genera of the

tropical distribution-pattern were originated at Gondwana in the past period.  South-

western and Southern China may be the birth-land of some genera of tropical distribu-

tion-pattern because it was the northern boundary of Gondwana in the past period.

b)  The genus of temperate distribution-pattern may be originated in the montane

region of Western or South-western China.

      2)  Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Sichuan are the provinces having laura-

ceous species in abundance. But the provinces having lauraceous endemic species in

abundance are Yunnan, Guangdong, Taiwan,, Guangxi and Sichuan. In general Chinese

lauraceous plants are distributed mainly in south-western and southern parts of China.

The southeastern and southern parts of province Yunnan are of great abundance in

lauraceous species or endemic species.  The species amount of lauraceous species in

these two parts of Yunnan is 67.3% of the total species amount of the lauraceous

flora in that province.  It may be explained by the fact that a) where it is of existence

of primary forest, b)of great specific endemism in the rocky region and c)  the

passway in migration of lauraceous plant from east to west or reverse.

     3)  The great similarity of lauraceous flora  between  Yunnan  (especially  its

western or north-western part) and Xizang (especially its southern or south-eastern

part), as well as between Guangdong and Guangxi, may be exhibited by the background

in perfect harmony of each own flora with environment in the past period.  The en-

demism of lauraceous flora in Taiwan and Hainan is manifest from the standpoint of

island's isolation.  But the latter is of a more manifest one, because it is situated at

the southern latitude and is more adaptive to the development of lauraceous plant.

      4)  The deciduous species of lauraceous plant which are the principal elements

in the flora of subtropical or temperate zone, are mainly of inland distribution-pattern.

Their geographical distribution are more concentrated  at  the  montane  region  of

Western or South-western China.  Where it may be the birth-land of the subtropical

or temperate lauraceous species, or even of the whole temperate flora.