Ecological study of the flora at Tumen river area, border of North Korea and China

Abstract

This study was executed by China along with the Tumen river, which formed border of North Korea and China. As a result 91 family, 282 genera, 363 species, 57 variety 4 species, total 424 taxa of vascular plants were identified. The examination area was include the region that had various vegetation such as upper swampy land, seashore dune, a river, a high mountain grassy plain, deciduous tree zone, evergreen coniferous forest zone. The followings are representative plants, which found in an examination area but not in South Korea. Picea koraiensis, Larix gmelini var. principis-ruprechtii, Betula platyphylla, Ulmus pumila, Populus koreana, Ledum palustre var. diversipilosum, Rhododendron parvifolium, Salix brachypoda, Phacelurus latifolius, Carex gotoi, Carex capricornis, Calla palustris, Aquilegia flabellata var. pumila, Lilium davuricum, Astragalus membranaceus, Trifolium lupinaster, Ledebouriella seselodeds, Polemonium racemosum, Scutellaria baicalensis, Linnaea borealis, Thladiantha dubia, Inula helenium, Trollius hondoensis, Hypocaeris ciliata, Aconitum kirinense, Aconitum arcuatum,Potentilla viscosa var. macrophylla. And there are 21 rare and endangered species, which Korean Forest Service designated, such as Aconitum koreanum, Acorus calamus var. angustatus, Polygonatum stenophyllum, Drosera rotundifolia, Iris setosa, Jeffersonia dubia, Lilium davuricum, Lilium cernum, Paeonia obovata, Penthorum chinense, Phacelurus latifolius, Rosa marretii, Sparganium stoloniferum, Thymus quinquecostatus, Trillium tschonoskii, Utricularia japonica, Tripterospermum japonicum, Vaccinium uliginosum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, etc. Especially, plants like, Acanthopanax senticosus, Jeffersonia dubia and Lilium cernum which have high values of ornamental, and medical use are in an extinction crisis. High swampy land was formed to upper stream of Tumen river. It showed representative vegitation, like Carex sp., Scirpus radicans, Eriophorum latifolium. Wetlands plant and a dune plant were mixed in down stream area of Tumen river. On a dune, seashore plants, such as Carex kobomugi, Salsola collina, Raphanus sativus var. raphanistroides, Rosa rugosa, Scutellaria strigillosa, Linaria japonica, Phacelurus latifolius were appeared frequently.