Analysis of the floristic characteristics of vascular plants on Hebao Island, Guangdong

The flora of Hebao Island in Guangdong province was analyzed systematically by field investigation and the composition and floristic characteristics of the vascular plants were determined. A total of 541 vascular plants belonging to 370 genera and 135 families were recorded, including 465 wild species and 36 cultivated species, among which 40 species belonging to 28 genera and 22 families were pteridophytes and 501 species belonging to 342 genera and 113 families were spermatophytes. At the genera level, the proportion of tropical elements was dominant and reached 87.80%. At the species level, 74 species endemic to China accounted for 15.91% of the non-cosmopolitan species. Four areal types, that is, pan-tropical, old-world tropical, tropical Asian to tropical Australasian Oceania and tropical Asian formed the main flora of Hebao Island. Compared with four other islands (Macao, Tung Ping Chau of Hong Kong, Zhoushan in Zhejiang province, and Chongming of Shanghai) along the southeast coast of China, the flora of Hebao Island showed higher tropical characteristics, and indicated a closer connection to Macao flora.