Jingdong Yi Autonomous County may be a small county in southwest China's Yunnan Province but is home to two national nature reserves – the Ailao Mountain and Wuliang Mountain National Nature Reserve. The rolling mountains create differences in altitude and a diverse micro-environment, making the county a biodiversity hotspot.

With a forest coverage rate of 71.4 percent, Jingdong has 4,816 vascular plant species, over 60 of which can only be seen here. 

Some of them have "jingdong" in their Chinese or scientific names, such as Lysimachia jingdongensis, Sedum chingtungense and Elaeagnus jingdonensis, which directly points to where they come from. 

If you come across Elaeagnus jingdonensis in the wild, you will be impressed by its fruit aroma. Many species of Elaeagnus genus in Yunnan have been cultivated into fruits.

Others, like Primula rubifolia and Petrocosmea begoniifolia, are rather reluctant to disclose their hometown. They quietly show up on rocks in Jingdong at springtime. 

About "Flora of Jingdong"

Jingdong Yi Autonomous County in Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, has two national nature reserves – the Ailao Mountain and Wuliang Mountain National Nature Reserve. The complex terrain and diverse climate here have created great plant diversity, the county is thus hailed as a "Demonstration County of International Biodiversity Project." This series will take you on a visual tour of diverse flora in Jingdong County.

(All photos taken by Liu Wenhui and Qu Shang, designed by CGTN's Du Chenxin.)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)