Resumen

SU, Zhiyao  y  COTA-SANCHEZ, J. Hugo. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE FLORAS OF CHINA AND CANADA. Polibotánica [online]. 2007, n.24, pp.25-51. ISSN 1405-2768.

In this study, we investigated the floristic relationships between China and Canada based on comparative analysis of their spermatophyte floras. Floristic lists were compiled from standard floras and then subjected to cluster analysis using UPGMA and NMS ordination methods. Our data demonstrate that the Chinese spermatophyte flora is considerably more diverse than that of Canada and that the taxonomic richness of seed plants in the floras of China and Canada shows significant variation at the specific and generic levels. China contains 272 families, 3 318 genera, and 27 078 species (after taxonomic standardization), whereas the spermatophyte flora of Canada includes 145 families, 947 genera, and 4 616 species. The results indicate that out of 553 genera shared by the Chinese and Canadian floras, 60 of them have an eastern Asia-North American disjunct distributional pattern. These disjunct genera show a similar geographic distribution in both eastern and western Canada. There is a higher degree of similarity at higher taxonomic levels between the two intercontinental floras, which suggests ancient floristic relationships, but there are significant differences at the generic and specific levels that are correlated with more recent geological and climatic variations and ecoenvironment diversity, resulting in differences in floristic composition. Overall, western and eastern Canada have a similar number of shared genera, which suggests multiple migration events of floristic elements via the Atlantic and Pacific connections and corridors that existed in past geological times.

Palabras llave : China; Canada; floristic relationships; taxonomic richness; shared taxa; intercontinental disjunction.

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