Abstract:

【Objective】Professor Wan-Chun Cheng conducted the first systematic classification study of gymnosperms in China. In 1978, the results were published in Volume 7 of the Flora Republicae Popularis Sinicae, introducing a novel classification system for gymnosperms in the country. This seminal work systematically organized gymnosperm species in China, establishing a strong foundation for subsequent research in gymnosperm classification in the region.【Method】Building on the latest gymnosperm classification system proposed by Professor Yang Yong in 2022, this study compiled a new species checklist of gymnosperms in China. Data from Volume 7 of the Flora Republicae Popularis Sinicae (FRPS), Flora of China Vol. 4 (FOC), and the Catalogue of Life in China 2023 were reviewed, along with recent relevant literature.【Result】The results revealed that China is currently home to 267 wild gymnosperm species, distributed among 37 genera within nine families (including 27 infraspecific taxa). We propose two new combinations: Sabina carinata (Y.F. Yu & L.K. Fu) Y. Yang and Meng Li and Sabina arenaria (E.H.Wilson) W.C. Cheng and W.T. Wang ex Y. Yang and Meng Li.【Conclusion】This study enhances the species catalog of wild gymnosperms in China, serving as a crucial reference for further botanical classification research and conservation efforts aimed at native gymnosperms.

Key words: gymnosperms, species catalogue, geographic distribution, Yang’s gymnosperm classification