New atlas brings nation's largest plant family to book

Amidst the grandeur of the 31st Beijing International Book Fair, which ran between June 18 and 22, a monumental work was unveiled: Atlas of Compositae Plants in China.

Published by the Henan Science and Technology Press, this comprehensive guide to China's largest plant family captivated the attention of botanists and plant enthusiasts, igniting a wave of excitement in the community.

The Compositae family, known for its astonishing diversity and wide distribution, encompasses 296 genera and 2,533 species in China alone, according to the atlas.

The creation of this atlas was spearheaded by Chen Yousheng, a renowned researcher from the South China Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His dedication to the study of plants spans nearly three decades, during which he led numerous national natural science projects, authored over 70 high-level research papers and edited or co-authored about 10 works.

Chen's journey toward the groundbreaking publication began in 2016, when he was responsible for editing the seventh volume of Higher Plants in China in Colour, which included over 860 species of Compositae. "I started thinking of compiling a more comprehensive atlas dedicated solely to the Compositae family," Chen told China Daily.

The Atlas of Native Orchids in China, an outstanding book that introduces a total of 157 genera and 1,026 orchid species in China, was published in 2019. "It gave me a clearer vision of the format I wanted for the future atlas of Compositae," he said.

The Atlas of Compositae Plants in China is a panoramic record of the latest taxonomic research on China's Compositae plants. It stands as a foundational, authoritative work for the conservation and development of plant resources, taxonomy, and biodiversity studies. The catalogue of the book documents all genera and species of Compositae plants distributed in the country, each entry backed by countless hours of field research and rigorous verification, Chen said.

The English edition of Flora of China (volume 20-21), published in 2011, had already provided a comprehensive look at the Compositae family. Since then, Chen said, nearly 160 new Compositae species and 80 new recorded species have been reported. "These new additions are all included in our book," he said.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this atlas is its inclusion of high-definition photographs for 279 genera and 1,830 species (including 23 subspecies or varieties) of Compositae plants. These images span diverse landscapes, from mountains and plains to wetlands and deserts, with precise county-level location information for each species.

"Every photo featured in the atlas is accompanied by the photographer's name and location details, typically down to the county level," Chen said. "This inclusion allows readers to quickly identify specific species based on their geographic distribution, which is particularly useful for species with limited ranges. Moreover, this setup ensures ease of reference for any future updates to the publication."

Each plant entry in the atlas includes detailed textual descriptions, covering its Chinese name, Latin name, taxonomic status, morphological characteristics, flowering period, geographical distribution, habitat and additional comments, such as its conservation status or economic value.

"We aim to present the latest research findings and provide an accurate reference for researchers and plant enthusiasts," Chen said.

This allows readers to not only appreciate the beauty of the Compositae plants but also gain a deeper understanding of their life secrets, embarking on a fascinating journey of exploring nature.

At the book fair, Chen shared stories of the extensive fieldwork involved in capturing these images. His team's research took them across the length and breadth of China, often trekking for hours in rugged natural environments with heavy equipment.

Chen himself traveled to Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan to study related plant groups. His expeditions covered nearly all provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in the country.

Wang Long, another chief editor of the atlas and an accomplished plant taxonomist also from the SCBG, reflected on the historical context of Compositae research in China. "Research on China's Compositae plants led by China's experts began in the 1930s. Over these long years, many outstanding domestic experts and scholars have contributed a lot to the research of the plant group," he said.

During the compilation of the atlas, Wang said, the research team collected a vast number of plant specimens, amassing nearly 20,000 of them, representing 6,000 gatherings, in total.

Chen highlighted some of the rare photographs included in the atlas, such as the images of Bolocephalus saussureoides, a unique monotypic genus found only in China, captured by himself for the first time in 2013 in the Xizang autonomous region. "I found the plant at an altitude of 4,500 meters above sea level in a border county," he said.

Another example is Ajaniopsis penicilliformis, the only member of the unique monotypic genus Ajaniopsis, and only known by its type material collected 50 years ago in Namling county in Xizang. In the atlas, they tentatively placed this species in genus Ajania, following a taxonomic treatment made by Chen. "During a botanical expedition in 2019, we successfully rediscovered it on a barren rocky slope at an altitude of 4,700 meters," Wang said.

Many photos and specimens of Hololeion maximowiczii, another monotypic genus, were actually cases of misidentification, Chen said. He and his team tried to find the plant in Northeast China for many years, but failed.

Then a few photos of the plant taken in Shandong province appeared on Plant Photo Bank of China, a plant image website. "We immediately contacted the photographer, got the location, and then sent one of our team members to capture new photos," Chen said.

At the launch event, notable experts, such as Jin Xiaohua from the Institute of Botany, CAS, Liu Quanru from Beijing Normal University and Dai Silan from Beijing Forestry University, highly acknowledged the value of the atlas, considering it a new benchmark for research on Compositae. They also expressed their hope for more masterpieces like this book in the field of plant taxonomy.

Qiao Hui, president of the Henan Science and Technology Press, said the publication of the Atlas of Compositae Plants in China provides an authoritative tool for accurately identifying China's native Compositae plants. It also offers strong scientific support for building a national biological resource database, aiding agricultural and forestry development, exploring medicinal plant resources, and supporting ecological restoration efforts, he said.

"The publication of this atlas is not an end-point but a new beginning. We will continue to uphold the spirit of perseverance and hard work of our predecessors, further advancing the research on the Compositae family," Wang Long said. "We hope this book becomes a window for experts, scholars and plant enthusiasts to understand, learn about and appreciate China's Compositae plants, as well as a bridge and key to recognizing the diversity of plants in China and even the world."