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Plant Science 163 (2002) 491 /498

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Survey of halophyte species in China


Zhao Kefu a,*, Fan Hai a, I.A. Ungar b
a
Institute of Plant Stress, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, PR China
b
Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701-2979, USA

Received 25 October 2001; received in revised form 21 May 2002; accepted 23 May 2002

Abstract

In this paper we mainly discussed five aspects of halophytes in China. (1) Species of halophytes. (2) Types of halophytes. (3) The
vegetation types of halophytes. (4) The halophytes not recorded in the database of Dr Aronson. (5) The economic potential of
halophytes. Finally, direction of research and key research areas are suggested. # 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights
reserved.

Keywords: Halophytes; China; Vegetation formation of halophytes; Economic potential

1. Introduction some plant ecologists such as Hou [4] and Zhou [5] as
well as some plant taxonomists have touched on
About 9.5 hundred million hectares of the world’s soil halophyte resources in their own field of study such as
are saline soil [1], not including large area of secondarily plant ecology and vegetation. Some other scientists,
salinized soil in cultivated land. What is more, fresh such as Lin [6] specialized his study on Mangroves and
water resources are limited. All these conditions prompt has made distinct achievements. On the basis of the
the consideration of introducing halophytes to saline research results of the former scientists, together with
soil. Halophyte resources are therefore a noteworthy the investigation and collection of halophytes around
problem for plant physiologists, especially for those in saline areas of China, the authors authenticated and
poor countries depending on agriculture. In 1989, recorded most of the halophytes in China [7,8]. Here
Aronson of the Office of Arid Lands Studies, The below is a general introduction of their species, types
University of Arizona, published a booklet ‘HALOPH, and vegetation forms.
A Data Base of Salt Tolerant Plants of the World’, in
which he recorded 1560 halophytes that fall into 117
families and 550 genera [2]. Though the recording is far 2. The species of halophytes in China
from comprehensive, it warrants wide attraction of
scientists in the world. In 1990, the Panel of the Board
on Science and Technology for International Develop- 2.1. The criterion to classify halophytes
ment Office of International Affairs, National Research
Council, published the book ‘Saline Agriculture, Salt- Before authenticating halophytes, one needs to define
Tolerant Plants for Developing Countries’ to introduce a halophyte. Here we adapt the definition of Greenway
economic halophytes to the world [3]. China is a country [9] as the criterion, i.e. ‘Halophytes are a kind of native
with abundant plant resources, yet the halophyte flora of saline soils, which contain solutions with a Psi of
at least 3.3 bar, being equivalent to 70 mM monovalent
resources remain a virgin field to be exploited. Only
salts’. Plants that cannot survive these habitats are
classified as non-halophytes. Unquestionably, this defi-
* Corresponding author nition is not quite complete since there is a continuum
E-mail address: zhaokefu@263.net (K. Zhao). from the least to the most salt tolerant species. Some
0168-9452/02/$ - see front matter # 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 1 6 8 - 9 4 5 2 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 1 6 0 - 7
492 Z. Kefu et al. / Plant Science 163 (2002) 491 /498

non-halophytes can also survive in this kind of habitat also fall into this category. They are Aeluropus, Spartina,
and complete their life cycle, for example, sugar beet. Crypsis, Sporobolus, Cenchrus, Digitaria, Panicum and
Paspalum . Furthermore, there are some other species of
2.2. Species of halophytes in China other families: Glaux species in Primulaceae such as G.
maritima; Castielegia species in Scrophulariaceae such
Based on the above criterion and after 6 years as C. pallida; Tamarix and Reaumuria species in
investigation and collection of halophytes and soil Tamaricaceae, the former has more than ten species,
samples around Northeast China, Northwest China, and the latter has two species.
Inner Mongolia, North China, East China and South Most of the endo-recretohalophytes belong to Che-
China, we have primarily concluded that China has nopodiaceae, they are Atriplex, Chenopodium and
about 430 halophyte species, which fall into 66 families Salsola . In Atriplex there are more than ten species
and 198 genera. The families that most halophytes fall distributed in China.
into are Chenopodiaceae, Poaceae, Compositae and For the second category, the leaf succulent halophytes
Leguminosae, which comprise 46.8% of all the halo- comprise the genus Suaeda of Chenopodiaceae such as
phytes in China (Table 1). S. salsa, S. lauca ; the genus Salsola such as S.
Of all the genera and families of halophytes in China, junatoxxii . The stem succulent halophytes are mainly
34 families and 29 genera are of worldwide distribution, of Chenopiaceae, such as Halostchys belonggeriana, H.
which account for 51.5 and 14.7% of the total, respec- halocnemum, Kalidium schrenkianum, Kalidium cuspida-
tively. This distinctly indicates the widespread occur- tum and Salicornia europeae .
rence of China’s halophytes. For the third category, some Phragmites plants in
Based on reports by Flowers et al. [13] and Aronson Poaceae such as P. comunis are pseudo-halophytes.
[2] and the fact that China has 430 species that fall into
66 families, it is not difficult to conclude that halophytes
evolved from different families in order to adapt to
different saline habitats. This indicates a polyphyletic 4. Vegetation forms of the halophytes in China
origin of salt tolerance in various flowering taxa.
According to ‘China vegetation’ by Professor Wu
Zhengmi [10] and ‘China Vegetation Geography and the
3. The types of halophytes in China Gradients of the Dominant Species’ by Professor Hou
[4], together with the investigation of the authors, we
Breckle divided halophytes into three categories based classify the halophytes in China into five main forms:
on ion accumulation and translocation in halophytes: Tropical seashore evergreen broad-leaf mangroves,
(1) recretohalophytes, which can be divided into two Halophytic scrubs, Halophytic deserts, Halophytic mea-
subgroups: exo-recretohalophytes and endo-recretoha- dows and submerged halophytic vegetation.
lophytes. The former have salt glands that can secrete
absorbed ions to the outside; the latter have salt
bladders that can tentatively accommodate the ions 4.1. Tropic seashore evergreen broad-leaf mangroves
secreted from the plant body. (2) Euhalophytes, which
can be further divided into two types: leaf succulent In terms of the species, appearance and structure, they
euhalophytes and stem succulent euhalophytes. The can be further classified into eight forms: (1) Form.
former detain ions in the succulent tissues of green Bruguiera , B. gymnorrhiza , (2) Form. Rhizophora api-
organs of the leaves, while the latter accommodate the culata, Ceriops tagal, (3) Form. Rhizophora stylosa, (4).
ions in the vacuoles of green organs and the succulent Form. Kandelia candel, Aegiceras corniculatum , (5)
vascular cylinders of the stem. (3) Pseudo-halophytes, Form. Aegiceras corniculatum , (6) Form. Avicennia
which accumulate ions in the parenchyma organs of the marina, Aegiceras corniculatum , (7) Form. Sonneratia
root. All three categories are widely distributed in caseolaris , (8) Form. Nypa fraticans .
China.
As for the exo-recretohalophytes of the first category,
China has Acathus species in Acanthaceae, such as A. 4.2. Halophytic scrubs
ebracteatus ; Avicennia species in Verbenaceae, such as
A. marina ; Ipomoea species of Convolvulaceae, such as Based on the characteristics of halophytic scrubs, it
I. polymorpha and I. pesligrids; Frankenia species in can be subdivided into six forms: (1) Form. Tamarix
Frankeniaceae, such as F. puloerulenta; Aegiceras spe- chinensis , (2) Form. Tamarix ramosisisima , (3) Form.
cies in Myrsinaceae, such as A. corniculatum ; Limonium Tamarix hispida, (4) Form. Halimodendron halodendron ,
species in Plumbaginaceae, such as L. bicolor and L. (5) Form. Nitraria tangutorum , (6) Form. Nitraria
aureum . Some halophytes in eight genera of Poaceae sibrica .
Z. Kefu et al. / Plant Science 163 (2002) 491 /498 493

Table 1
Species, genus and family of halophytes in China

Family Genus Species Family Genus Species

Acanthaceae Acanthus A. ebracteatus Corispermum C. declinatum


A. ilicifolius C. puberulum
Acrostichaceae Acrostichum A. aureum C. stenolepis
A. specisum Halocnemum H. strobilaceum
Aizoaceae Sesuvium S. portulacastrum Halopeplis H. pygmaea
Trianthema T. portulacastrum Halostachys H. caspica
Amaranthaceae Allmania A .nodiflora Haloxylon H. ammodendron
Trichurus T. monsoniae H. persicum
Apocynaceae Apocynum A. venetum Kalidium K. caspicum
Cerbera C. manghas K. cuspidatum
Poacynum P. hendersonii K. foliatum
P. pictum K. gracile
Asclepiadaceae Cynanchum C. chinense K. schrenkianum
C. insulanum Kirilowia K. eriantha
Gymnanthera G. nitida Kochia K. macroptera
Tylophora T. arenicola K. melanoptera
Betulaceae Betula B. halophila K. scoparia
Bignoniaceae Dolichandrone D. spathaceae Nanophyton N. erinaceu
Boraginaceae Coldenia C. procumbens Petrosimonia P. glaucescens
Cynoglossum C. viridiflorum P. sibirica
Gastrocotyle G. hispida Salicornia S. europaea
Heliotropium H. marifolium Salsola S. affinis
H. micranthum S. arbuscula
Mertensia M. asiatica S. chinghaiensis
Messerschmidia M. argentaa S. dschungarica
M. sibirica S. ferganica
Nonea N. caspica S. foliosa
Rochelia R. retorta S. heptapotamica
Caryophyllaceae Spergularia S. marina S. heptapotamica
Chenopodiaceae Anabasis A. aphylla S. implicata
A. cretacea S. intramongolica
A. elatior S. komarovii
A. eriopoda S. korshinskyi
A. salsa S. lanata
A. trancata S. nitraria
Atriplex A. cana S. paulsenii
A. centralasiatica S. rosacea
A. fera S. ruthenica
A. gmelinii S. sinkiangensis
A. hastata S. soda
A. maximowicziana S. subcrassa
A. micranthau S. tamariscina
A. oblongiflora S. tamariscina
A. patens S. zaidamica
A. repens Suaeda S. acuminata
A.sibirica S. altissima
A. tatarica S. arcuate
A. verruciferau S. australis
Bassia B. dasyphylla S. corniculata
B. sedoides S. crassifolia
Ceratoides C. latens S. glauca
Borszczowia B.aralocaspica S. heterophylla
Chenopodium C. chenopodiodes S. kossinskyi
C .glaucum S. kossinskyi
C. iljinii S. liaotungensis
C. rubrum S. linifollia
C. ubricum S. microphylla
S. physophora Convolvulaceae Calyslegia C. soldanella
S. pirzewalskii Imopoea I. gracillus
494 Z. Kefu et al. / Plant Science 163 (2002) 491 /498

Table 1 (Continued )

Family Genus Species Family Genus Species

S. prostrata I. obscura
S. rigda I. pes-caprae
S. salsa I. pes-tigridis
S. stellatiflora I. polymorpha
Sympegma S. reglii I. stolonifera
Combretaceae Lumnitzera L. littorea I. tuba
L. racemosa I. tiliaefolia
Terminalia T. catappa Cruciferae Dilophia D. salsa
Commelinaceae Murdannia M. vaginata Lepidium L. cartilagineum
Compositae Artemisia A. adamsii L. cardatum
A.anethifolia L. latifolium
A. anethoides Thellungiella T. salsuginea
A. dalai-lamae T. halophila
A. fauriei Cyperaceae Carex C. kobomugi
A. fukudo C. pumila
A. littoricola C. reptabunda
Brachyactis B. ciliata C. scabrifolia
Chorisis C. repens Cyperus C. malaccensis
Cirsium C. alatum C. stoloniderus
Dendranthemau D. indicum Fimbristylis F. ferrugineae
Helichrysum H. arenarium F. polytrichoides
Inula I. caspica F. sericea
Karelinia K. caspia Juncellus J. pannonicus
Ligularia L. macrophylla Mariscus M. javanicus
L. thyrsoidea Remirea R. maritima
Mulgedium M. tataricum Scirpus S. mariqueter
Paramicrorhynchus P. procumbens S. neochinensis
Pluchea P. indica S. planiculmis
P. pteropoda S. strobilinus
Pyrethrum P. krylovianum Dryopteridaceae Cyrtomium C. falcatum
Saussurea S. alata Elaeagnaceae Elaeagnus E. angustifolia
S. amara Euphorbiaceae Euphorbia E. atota
S. davurica E. soongarica
S. famintziniana Excoecaria E. agallocha
S. grubovii Frankeniaceae Frankenia F. pulverulenta
S. laciniata Goodeniaceae Scaevola S. hainanensis
S. lacostei S. sericea
S. thoroldii Guttiferae Calophyllum C. inophyllum
S. turgaiensis Hernandiaceae Hernandia H. sonora
Scorzonera S. mongolica Hydrocharitaceae Euhalus E. acoroides
S. parviflora Halophila H. beccarii
S. pusilla H. minor
Seriphidium S. amoenum H. ovalis
S. brevifolium Thalassia T. hemperichii
S. ferganense Iridaceae Iris I. halophila
S. gracilescens I. lactea
S. nitrosum Juncaginaceae Triglochin T. maritimum
S. schrenkianum T. palustre
S. scopiforme Labiatae Ajuga A. dictyocarpa
S. semiaridum Luecas L. chinensis
Taraxacum T. bessarabicum L. lavandulifolia
T. bicorne L. zeylanica
T. dissectum Scutellaria S. strigillosa
T.sinicum Lecythidaceae Barringtonia B. asiatica
Tripolium T. vulgare B. racemosa
Youngia Y. stenoma Leguminosae Alhagi A. sparsifolia
Astragalus A. adsurgens L. franchetii
A. alopecias L. gmelinii
A. chinensis L. myrianthum
A. contortuplicatus L. otolepis
A. roseus L. sinense
A. salsugineus L. suffruticosum
Z. Kefu et al. / Plant Science 163 (2002) 491 /498 495

Table 1 (Continued )

Family Genus Species Family Genus Species

A. sulcatus L. tenellum
A. toksunensis L. wrightii
Canavalia C.lineata Poaceae Achnatherum A. splendens
C. maritima Aeluropus A. pungens
Derris D. trifoliata A. sinensis
Desmodium D. rubrum Cenchrus C. calyculatus
Glycine G. soja Crypsis C. aculeata
Glycyrrhiza G. glabra C. schoenoides
G. inflata Digitaria D. bicornis
G. korshinskii D. heterantha
G. pasllidiflora D. mollicorma
G.squamulosa Hordeum H. bogdonii
G. uralensis H. brevisubulatum
Gueldenstaedtia G. maritima H. roshevitzii
Halimodendron H. halodendron Ischaemum I. antephoroides
Indigofera I. enneaphylla Lepturus L. repens
Lathyrus L. maritimus Leymus L. angustus
Melilotus M. albus L. chinensis
M. dentatus L. kopetdaghensis
Oxytropis O. glabra L. mollis
Pongamia D. pinnata L. multicaulis
Sesbania S. cannabina L. paboanus
Sophora S. alopecuroides L. Secalinus
Sphaerophysa S. salsula Panicum P repens
Trifolium T. fragiferum Parapholis P. incurva
Liliaceae Asparagus A. persicus Paspalum P. bicornis
Loganiaceae Mitrasacme M. indica P. heterantha
Lythraceae Pemphis P. acidula P. vaginatum
Malvaceae Althaea A. officinalia Phragmites P. australis
A. rosea Puccinellia P. distans
Hibiscus H. tiliaceus P. hauptiana
Thespesia T. howii P. macranthera
T. populnea P. micrandra
Meliaceae Xylocarpus X. granatum P. tenuiflora
Myoporaceae Myoporum M. bontioides Sclerochloa S. kengiana
Myrsinaceae Aegiceras A. corniculatum Spartina S. alterniflora
Najadaceae Cymodocea C. rotundata S. anglica
Zannichellia Z. palustris Spinifex S. littoreus
Olaceae Ximenia X. americana Sporobolus S. virginicus
Onagrceae Oenothera O. littaralis Thuarea T. involuta
Orobanchaceae Cistanche C. fissa Zoysia Z. japonica
C. salsa Z. macrostachya
Orobanche O. amoena Z. matrella
Palmae Nypa N. fruticans Polygonaceae Polygonum P. argyrocoleum
Pandanaceae Pandanus P.tectorius P. corrigioloides
Plantaginaceae Plantago P. aristata P. fusco-ochreatum
P. cornuti P. glareosum
P. maritima P. humifusum
P. maxima P. junceum
Plumbaginaceae Limonium L. aureum P. patulum
L. bicolor P. sibiricum
L. coralloides Rumex R. maritimus
R. marschallianus Simaroubaceae Suriana S. maritima
Potamogetonaceae Halodule H. pinifolia Solanaceae Lycium L. barbarum
H. uninervis L. chinense
Phyllospadix P. iwatensis L. dasystemum
P.japonica L. ruthenicum
Posidonia P. australis Sonneratiaceae Sonneratia S. alba
Ruppia R. rostellata S. caseolaris
Syringodium S. isoetifolium S. hainanensis
Zostera Z. asiatica Sterculiaceae Heritiera H. littoralis
496 Z. Kefu et al. / Plant Science 163 (2002) 491 /498

Table 1 (Continued )

Family Genus Species Family Genus Species

Z. caespitosa Tamaricaceae Reaumuria R. kaschgarica


Z. coulescens R. songarica
Z. japonica Tamarix T. androssowii
Z. marina T. austromongolica
Primulaceae Glaux G. maritima T. chinensis
Lysimachia L. mauritiana T. elongata
Ranunculaceae Halerpsetes H. filisecta T. gansuensis
H. ruthenica T. gracilis
H. sarmentosa T. hispida
H. tirsuspis T. hohenackeri
Restionaceae Leptocarpus L. disjunctus T. karelinii
Rhizophoraceae Bruguiera B. cylindrica T. laxa
B. gymnorrhiza T. leptostachys
B. sexangula T. ramosissima
Ceriops C. tagal T. sachuensis
Kandelia K. candel Umbelliferae Cnidium C. japonicum
Rhizophora R. apiculata C. salinum
R. mucronata Glehnia G. littoralis
R. stylosa Peucedanum P. japonicum
Rosaceae Potaninia P. mongolica Schumannia S. karelinii
Potentilla P. imbricata Seseli S. eriocephalum
Sibbaldia S. adpressa Sium S. sisaroideum
Rubiaceae Scyphiphora S. hydrophyllacea Verbenaceae Avicennia A. marina
Rutaceae Haplophyllum H. perforatum Clerodendrum C. inerme
Salicaceae Populus P. euphratica Vitex V. trifolia
P. pruinosa Zygophyllaceae Nitraria N. sibirica
Sapindaceae Allophylus A. timorenlsis N. tangutorum
Dodonaea D. viscosa Peganum P. harmala
Scrophulariaceae Castilleja C. pallida Zygophyllum Z. jaxarticum
Dodartia D. orientalis Z. loczyi
Linaria L. japonica Z. macropodum
Odontites O. serotina Z. pterocarpum

Note: Total 66 Families, 198 Genera and 430 Species.

4.3. Halophytic desert halophytic meadows. These six types altogether com-
prise 17 halophytic meadow forms.
Halophytic desert can be subdivided into ten Forms:
(1) Form. Reaumuria songarica , (2) Form. Ceratodies 4.5. Submerged halophytic vegetation
latens, (3) Form. Nanaphyton erinaceum , (4) Form.
Anabasis salsa , (5) Form. Halostachys caspica , (6) This kind of vegetation is comparatively simple. It can
Form. Halocnemum strobilaceum , (7) Form. Atriplex be divided into four Forms: (1) Form. Ruppia rostellata ,
cana , (8) Form. Suaeda physophora , S. microphylla , (9) (2) Form. Zostera marina , (3) Form. Phyllospadix
Form. Kalidium schrenkianum , (10) Form. Kalidium japonica, (4) Form. Cymodocea spp., Halodule spp.,
cuspidatum . Halophila spp.

4.4. Halophytic meadow 5. The unrecorded halophyte species in the database of


halophytes in the world
The classification of halophytic meadow is somewhat
complicated. It can be divided into six types, and each In 1989, Aronson published a booklet describing the
type includes several types. The six types are: (1) halophyte species in the world [2], in which he recorded
Thicken grass halophytic meadows, (2) Rhizome grass 1560 species. Yet it is believed the real number is
halophytic meadows, (3) Cyperus halophytic meadows, probably greater. Though the halophytes of the world
(4) Weeds halophytic meadows, (5) Annual halophytic have not been thoroughly investigated, according to our
meadows, (6) Seaside grasses, thicken weeds and shrub investigation of the halophytes in China, we may
Z. Kefu et al. / Plant Science 163 (2002) 491 /498 497

Table 2
Effective components and usages of some economic halophytes

Plant name and types Effective components Usages

Halophytes as fodder
Salsola siberica Crude protein 15%, vitamins Fodder
Puccinellia spp. Crude protein 16%, Vit C Fodder
Atriplex spp. Crude protein in leaves 22% Fine fodder or fodder additives
Aeluropus spp. Crude protein 12 /14%, vitamins Fodder or potherb
Kochia spp. Crude protein 10%, abundant Vit C in leaves Fodder or potherb
Halophytes as
herbal medicine
Lycium spp. Atropine, hyoscyamine, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, Strengthen kidney, brighten eyes, allay fever
scopolectin, thiamine, riboflavin, Glu, Leu, Met, His,
Asp, Tyr, Lys, etc.
Limonium spp. Quercetin, luteolin, eriodetyol, myricetin-3-O -b-D- Stop bleeding, promote urination and astringe
(6ƒ-gallyl-galactoside, gallic acid
Glycyrrhiza spp. Glycyrrhizin, uralsaponin, licorice-saponinliquiritigenin, Stop coughing, clean lungs
liquiritin, licobenzofuran, glycyrrigan
Apocynum venetum Quercetin, rutin, isoquercetin, hyperoside, neuisorutin, Reduce blood pressure, strengthen heart and promote
scopletin, isofraxdin, cyamarin, strophanthidin, apocynine urination
Nitraria spp. Quercetin, isorhamnetin, nitramine, sibirine isonitramine, Normalize menstruation, promote blood circulation, help
kaempferol-7-O -a-L-rhamnoside digestion and strengthen the spleen
Halophytes for fibers
Apocynum venetum Fiber content 40 /42%, monocellulose length 25.19 /53.5 Tyre and sailcloth
mm, width 14.75 /20.15 mm, average tension 18.25 /19.53
Torr
Poacynum hendersonii Fiber length 3.49 mm, width 10.04 mm, tension 34.34 /49.51 Advanced textiles
Torr, erosion-proof
Melilotus dentatus Fiber length 50 /90 mm, width 10.04 mm, semi-cellulose Paper making, fabricated cotton
content 24.4%, cellulose content 42.2%, fiber tension 62.21
Torr
Phragmites australis Cellulose content 50%, fiber length 0.2 /2.7 mm, width 3 /36 Paper making
mm, lignin content 17.7%
Achnatherum splendens Cellulose content 39.5%, fiber content 0.4 /1.7 mm, lignin Paper making, fabricated cotton
content 16.8%, pectin content 1.1%
Halophytes for tannin
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza Tannin content in bark 20% Used in leather processing, medicine and chemistry
Ceriops tagal Tannin content in bark 29.67% Leather processing, medicine
Kandelia candel Tannin content in bark 26.08% Leather processing, medicine
Rhizophora mucronata Tannin content in bark 22.73% Leather processing, medicine
Bruguiera sexangula Tannin content in bark 22.73% Leather processing, medicine
Edible halophytes
Nypa fruticans Starch and sugar content 14 /17% Sugar and starch
Elaeagnus angustifolia Sugar content 46.99% in seeds Sugar and starch
Suaeda salsa Edible oil 25% in seeds Edible oil or potherb
Salicornia europaea Edible oil 30%, protein 30% in seeds Edible oil
Terminalia catappa Edible oil 53% in seed, abundant Vit C in leaves Potherb
Atriplex hortensis Abundant Vit C and 20% crude protein in leaves Potherb
Glehnia littoralis Abundant Vit C and 18% crude protein in leaves Potherb

conclude that his recording is far from completed. There ceae, Loganiaceae, Orobanchaceae, Iridaceae. Hundred
are more than 400 halophytes in China, of which more and seven genera are not recorded in the database, for
than 300 species are not recorded in the book. example: Acrostichum, Crytomium, Sympegma, Iljinia,
Among the halophytes in China, 12 families are not Alhagi, Halerpestes, Thellungiella, Excoecaria, Oe-
recorded in the database. They are Acrostichaceae, nothera, Ruppia, Achnatherum and so on. The unrec-
Dryopteridaceae, Salicaceae, Betulaceae, Olaceae, Ra- orded halophytes are as many as 300 species, which we
nunculaceae, Hernandiaceae, Elaeagnaceae, Myopora- will not discuss here in details.
498 Z. Kefu et al. / Plant Science 163 (2002) 491 /498

6. The economic potential of halophytes in China Acknowledgements

Among the halophytes of more than 400 species, quite Sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation
a number of them are of various economic potentials of China and National Basic Research Project
(Table 2) [11]. Some are the raw materials of food stuffs, (G1999011700).
such as Acacia, Suaeda, Salicornia, Glycyrrhiza uralensis
Fisch, Asparagus persicus Baker. Pandanus tectorius
Sol., Elilotus Adons and Vitex trifolias L. Var. Simpli-
cifolia Clam. Some halophytes can serve as fodder [12 / References
16]. Such as Salsosa iberica, Aeluropus sinenesis (De-
[1] Z. Wang, et al., China Saline Soil, Science Press, Bejing, 1993.
beaux) Tzvel., Phacelurus latifolius (Steud.) Ohwi.,
[2] J.A. Aronson, 1989, HALOPH, A Data Base of Salt Tolerant
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From the above it is not difficult to see that China has [10] Z. Wu, China Vegetation, Science Press, Beijing, 1980.
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halophytes in the world recorded by Aronson. More- Science Press, Beijing.
over, the types and numbers of economic halophytes of [13] T.J. Flowers, M.A. Haifigagheri, N.J. Clipson, Halophytes, Quar.
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M.A. Khann, I.A. Ungar (Eds.), Biology of Salt Tolerant Plants,
utilization of halophytes is very important. The authors
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[18] B. Wang, Booklet of the utilization of China Plant Resources,
and secondarily salinized areas so that most of the saline China Science and Technology Press, Beijing, 1989.
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