Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Photography major - Desert Warrior: Five Species of Plants Unique to Taklimakan Desert
Desert Warrior: Five Species of Plants Unique to Taklimakan Desert
According to investigation and statistics, there are 28 flora in Taklimakan Desert, including 6 desert types, 3 desert riparian forest types, 9 shrub types and 9 meadow types, including ephemeral plants or ephemeral plants with special viability.
(The picture shows Tamarix chinensis, photography/Fan Jinglong)
Tamarix China
Tamarix Taklimakan is the most widely distributed plant in Taklimakan desert. In order to absorb groundwater, its root system can even spread thousands of meters away, and its longitudinal growth can reach 10 meter.
Extremely salt-tolerant, it can grow in heavy saline-alkali soil with salt content 1%. Its ability to prevent wind and fix sand is also very strong, and it is common to see a shrub sand pile like steamed bread around Tamarix in the wild.
(The picture shows the Tamarix shrub sandbag, photography/Li)
Haloxylon ammodendron
Haloxylon ammodendron community is distributed in the alluvial plain of Tarim River on the northern edge of the desert. Haloxylon ammodendron is super drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant, and its roots are developed. Generally, the taproot is about 2 meters deep and the deepest part can reach 5 meters.
(The picture shows Haloxylon ammodendron community, photography/Li)
Haloxylon ammodendron not only has strong wind-proof and sand-fixing ability, but also can parasitize Cistanche deserticola, a valuable Chinese herbal medicine.
(Cistanche deserticola, photography/Xinwen Xu)
diversiform-leaved poplar
Populus euphratica forest growing on both sides of the river is the most beautiful scenery in the desert. Every autumn, the leaves of Populus euphratica turn golden, and under the blue sky and white clouds, the golden Populus euphratica forest is reflected in the water, like a sunset, like a dream.
Populus euphratica has strong drought resistance. It desperately absorbs groundwater to show the green of life, stubbornly sticks to every inch of land under its feet and vows to fight against sandstorms to the end. Even if he dies, he will stand still and be called a desert hero. People often describe it as "born without dying for a thousand years, dead without falling for a thousand years, immortal for a thousand years".
(Golden Populus euphratica, photography/Xinwen Xu)
One of two spiny leguminous shrubs in arid areas.
Alhagi is a perennial leguminous herb with excellent drought tolerance. It has a well-developed root system, generally 20 meters long. It absorbs groundwater and nutrients from the depths of the desert, and new plants can sprout at the roots that grow horizontally.
In order to adapt to the arid environment, the camel thorn shortens the ground part as much as possible, and at the same time penetrates the huge root system deeply into the ground. Its roots can find water and absorb water on a large scale; Short ground parts can effectively reduce water transpiration.
(Alhagi root system, photography/Zeng)
Calligonum mongolicum
Calligonum Calligonum basically has no leaves, and the leaves shrink into leaves wrapped in the branches, making the branches short and round, hence the name "Calligonum Calligonum". Its root system is very developed, the main root can be as deep as 3 meters, and the horizontal root system is distributed in the shallow surface, which can extend to 20 to 30 meters.
(Calligonum mongolicum, picture from the Internet)
In addition, there are many perennial plants in Taklimakan Desert, such as Apocynum venetum, Anthurium andraeanum, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Reed, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Salicornia, Panicum miliaceum and so on.
Editor: Zhu Wenchao
New Media Editor: Yao Di
(This article is selected from the July issue of Knowledge is Power 20 17. Authors: Cai, Li, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, original works)
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