- Subalpine Conifer Forests
Vegetation types in the Qionglai mountains. Further north in the Minshan the vegetation is similar, but each zone begins about 300m lower down the mountains The forests begins between 3000m to 2600m as a band of firs, hardy broadleafed species such as birch, Betula utilis and B. albosinensis, begin to Abies faxoniana. A few break into the height, but for the most part tall, cathedral-like stands of pine even at this the forest is pure such as arrow bamboo, is conifer. At this level, high-altitude bamboo, also in evidence in the well-established stands. Most understorey, growing strongly in clumps establish themselves the entire population of mature either during dieback (when bamboo flower, seed and die en landslip, or other natural masse) or when a disturbance, lets light into the gloomy forest floor, buried seed the allowing the opportunity to germinate. This is true panda habitat, the bamboo so talked about forest by conservationists and scientists. The understorey is dominated by swathes of the vast giant grass and shrubs and herbs are sparse. It is here that the giant panda live out its secret life.
Rhododendron, too, dot the understorey. The mountains of Sichuan boast more than 300 species of rhododendrons, plants now familiar to gardeners throughout the West, but unknown before the nineteenth century, when the first glorious blooms were brought back. For the Chinese, these plants are rich in myth and symbolism. The rhododendron and cuckoo share the same Chinese pictogram, derived from the name of an ancient king of Sichuan who was brutally ousted from his palace by his brother. Legend has it that when the heartbroken king died he was transformed into a cuckoo and his tears of sorrow fell to the ground and became bright red rhododendrons. But rhododendrons are deadly as well as beautiful. The plants secrete a poison from their leaves which, when washed into the soil by the mountains’ copious rainfall, renders the soil around the plants totally sterile, so removing any possibility of botanical competitors. Small wonder that rhododendrons are biologically very successful.