The floral kingdom
Mount Emei contains both Sino-Japanese and Sino-Himalayan flora with a total vegetation coverage of 87%.Five vegetation belts are defined according to vertical zone. In ascending height order they are: subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest (below 1500m), evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest, coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest, sub alpine coniferous forest and sub alpine shrubs above 2,800m. Some 3,200 plant species in 242 families have been recorded, of which 31 are under national protection, representing approximately one third of the total number of plants in the Sichuan province and one tenth of those found in China. There are some 1,600 species of medicinal plants, and 600 species of commercial interest. More than one hundred species are endemic. A total number of 29 species of Rhododendron sp. has been recorded, some being endemic.
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