Distribution and research status of Sorbus L. in China

Abstract

With diverse crowns, beautiful flowers, colorful fruits, and leaves of different colors in the four seasons, Sorbus L. has a very high ornamental value in landscape. The genus is also one difficult taxa for taxonomic research arising from the combined effects of hybridization, polyploidy and apomixis. In this study, the specimens preserved in National Plant Specimen Resource Center and the database of Global Plants were retrieved and carefully sorted out. Some key information such as herbaria, collectors, collecting sites, collection time were analyzed concretely to understand the collection sites and the distribution center of wild germplasm resources of Sorbus in China and construct the database of Sorbus in China, so as to provide references for the first general survey and collection of forest and grass germplasm resources in China. On the basis of clarifying the distribution range and habitat of Sorbus plant resources, we found that the species of Sorbus in China are the most abundant in the world and Sorbus species are mostly distributed in high-altitude areas. Especially, more than half of Sorbus species are distributed in the mountainous area of southwestern China, and multiple ploidy coexists in this area, which creates unique conditions for hybridization. Is it the key factor of rich species diversity of this genus? With this, the research status of Sorbus plants were further summarized, the problems existing in the study of molecular system biology, conservation biology, phytochemistry and resource development and utilization were pointed out, and the key issues to be paid attention to in the future research of Sorbus were put forward. Suggestions for future research on Sorbus were as follows: (1) We should focus on the study of process of hybridization on the basis of a solid phylogenetic framework; (2) Based on the comprehensive investigation of the wild germplasm resources of Sorbus in China, we should select the species with high ornamental value and study the molecular regulatory mechanisms of the response of Sorbus species to high-temperature stress in the summer in the low altitude areas by using the latest molecular biology techniques and methods, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the introduction and acclimatization of high-altitude species.

Keywords

• sorbus
• type specimen
• germplasm resources
• introduction and acclimatization
• development and utilization