Abstract:

There were 331 species (including 15 varieties and 7 subspecies) of halophytes in 38 families and 125 genera in Xinjiang, China, which were rich in biodiversity of halophytes. Distribution of the halophyte families and the halophyte genera in Xinjiang showed that the flora had a diverse geographical characteristic, with an overwhelming number in temperate regions, in which there were 9 families, accounting for 23.68% the total families in China. With taking off the cosmopolitan families, the left ones accounted for about 56.25% of the halophytes in China, including elements distributed in N. Temp., Old World Temp., and Mediterranea, W.Asia to C.Asia. Temperate elements accounted for 38.4% and Tethys elements accounted for 36% at genera level. The halophyte flora in Xinjiang was dominated by singlespecies and fewspecies genera，with marked superior phenomenon. Most of the flora was xeromorphy and antiquity. The particular component took up lower percentage and there was only one Chinese endemic genus. This was consistent with the North Temperate zone and geographical location of Xinjiang.

Key words: Xinjiang, halophyte, flora