A unique addition to the botanical literature, this book presents the flora of China in its astonishing diversity.

Vol. 25, Hong Deyuan, vice co-chair of the editorial committee.

The diversity of plant species in China is extraordinary. With an area approximately that of the continental United States, China has nearly twice as many vascular plant species, about 30,000 or one-eighth of the world's total. The Flora of China describes and otherwise documents these species. The text volumes include descriptions, identification keys, essential synonymy, phenology, provincial distribution in China, brief statements on extra-Chinese distribution, comments regarding the circumscription of problematic taxa, and additional comments on the ethnobotanical uses and conservation status of certain plants.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of grassland ecosystems based on publications by Chinese scholars. It offers an up-to-date review of the recent advances in grassland research in China, discusses the climatic and physical conditions governing the grasslands, describes their types and distribution, and introduces a new classification scheme for grassland ecosystems. Further, it details the plant, animal, and microbial compositions of each grassland ecosystem type, examining the above and below ground relationships between phytomass, vegetation succession, and past/current management practices with a particular focus on the steppes in China. It also includes references that are only available in the Chinese language. This scientifically rigorous book offers insights into knowledge gaps for the scientific community and identifies pressing issues facing practitioners of grassland ecology and management. It can be used as a textbook for undergraduate and graduate students in ecology, environmental science, natural resource management, agriculture, and other relevant fields, and is also a valuable reference resource for researchers studying drylands in China or around the globe.