Vascular higher plants in the Pu Ta Leng mountain, Lai Chau province

Chairman Dr. Nguyen Quoc Binh and his team at Tam Sao Peak, one of the peaks in the high mountains of Pu Ta Leng

Pu Ta Leng mountain forest area belongs to Tam Duong district, Lai Chau province, bordering Lai Chau city to the west. Although it is located close to Fansipan, belonging to Hoang Lien National Park, there has not been any research on plants in Pu Ta Leng mountain. Therefore, research and investigation to fully and comprehensively assess the plant composition in the high mountains of Pu Ta Leng, thus proposing measures to conserve rare and precious genetic resources, searching and discovering new plant species and new recorded species for the flora of Vietnam is necessary, as a basis for proposing development into a special-use forest or a nature reserve to protect, create an ecological environment, protect water sources, and prevent erosion for Lai Chau city, right at the foot of the Pu Ta Leng mountains and surrounding areas.

The research team conducted a linear survey to investigate and collect plant samples of species, distribution, biology and ecology characteristics of higher vascular plants. The survey routes are outlined on the map, passing through all different regions in terms of topography, ecosystems, forest types, vegetation types and habitats, in order to collect samples representative of the study area. Based on the topography, the main survey routes will be selected such as the route going to Tam Chi Sao peak from Ta Leng commune, the route from Ta Leng commune to Ta Lien Son peak, the route from Ho Thau commune in the direction to the top of Pu Ta Leng. .

The result of the research team was to investigate, collect and identify 379 species and subclasses belonging to 115 families, 257 genera of 3 phyla of vascular plants. The Pteridophytes has 17 species, in 16 genera, in 13 families; the Pinophyta has 3 species, belonging to 2 genera, 2 families; the Angiospermae has the highest proportion of taxons with 359 species, belonging to 239 genera, 100 families.

The project has discovered and published 02 new species for science, namely Isotrema putalengense Luu, Q.B.Nguyen & H.C.Nguyen (family Phong Ky - Aristolochiaceae) and Arisaema vietnamense Luu, Q. B. Nguyen, H. C. Nguyen & T. Q. T. Nguyen (family Ray - Araceae); and identified 33 endemic plant species, accounting for 8.7% of the total number of plant species collected in the high mountains of Pu Ta Leng.

Photos of 02 new species Isotrema putalengense, family Aristolochiaceae announced

The project evaluated the vascular plant resources in the high mountainous area of Pu Ta Leng, Lai Chau province, in which there are 353 of 379 species of use value, the group of plants with medicinal value has the largest number with 189 species; 17 species of rare plants with scientific value have been identified, which are threatened at different levels.

The team assessed the diversity of plant life forms, such as conifers, epiphytes, annuals, succulent to woody plants, large timbers and a variety of botanical geographical factors, of which the Asian continental and tropical Asia are the two dominant factors. At the same time, the project has built 01 survey route map and 03 diagrams of 17 rare and endangered plant species named in the Vietnam Red Book (2007), the Vietnam Red List (2007) and in Decree 84/2021 of the Government.

The research team built a database of plant species with 397 sample numbers, which is the first scientific basis for plants in the high mountains of Pu Ta Leng. From there, it assessed the current status and proposed solutions to preserve plant diversity and plant resources in the high mountainous area of Pu Ta Leng, Tam Duong district, Lai Chau province. At the same time, the topic published 02 articles in the list of SCI-E, 1 article in the Journal of Biology.

In the coming time, the team wishes to continue investigating and expanding the group of mushroom and non-vascular plants to obtain a complete set of samples and data on fungi, non-vascular plants, and vascular plants of this area, supplementing information and biological data for the conservation of rare and precious species for Hoang Lien Son flora.

Translated by Phuong Huyen
Link to Vietnamese version