Plants
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Xishuangbanna lies at the northern limit of the tropical rain forests of Southeast Asia. There are two vegetation types of valley and hill rain forests. The abundant flora comprises more than 5,000 species of higher and seed plants, which accounts for 12% of the total in China. And among them, there are 58 species of rare and endangered plants under the state protection, accounting for 15% of the total. Plants of different geological ages and species blend to form wonderful plant communities peculiar to Xishuangbanna.Giant lianas also meander through the forest and epiphytic orchids cling to tree trunks bursting in a cascade of delicate, transparent flowers. The plants here are vertically distributed and occupy their respective spaces.Here grow ancient tropical plants such as Chinese parashoreas (Parashorea chinensis) and sogo Cycas which have been bypassed in the evolutionary process. In addition, there are over 800 species of medicinal plants and other plants with special use. Xishuangbanna, with its luxuriant forests and varied plant-life, occupy a unique place in China's biota.
Animals
Here is also a safe, congenial habitat with ample food resources for a myriad of animals. The Reserve boasts 539 species of terrestrial vertebrate which accounts for 25% of the total in China, 429 species of birds, 36% of the total, 47 species of amphibians, 68 species of reptiles and 100 species of fish, 40% of the total as well. Among them, the Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus), Indo-Chinese tiger (Panthera tigris), gaur (Bos frontalis), white-cheeked gibbon (Hylobates concolor leucogenys), binturong (Arctictic binturong), chevrotain (Tragulus javanicus), brown-headed hornbill (Aceros nipalensis), peacock pheasant (Polypleotron bicalcaratum) and green peafowl (Paro muticus) are listed with top rank protection importance in China and some of them are even classified as world protection species.
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