What is an endemic plant?
Endemic plants refer to a native plant that only grows in a limited area.
Because these plants are relic endemics, although they were distributed in a broad range, the range became narrow, and neo-endemics were formed by new local speciation, so their population size tends to be reduced or maintained as a small population.
Moreover, they respond to even small changes in environmental factors, so they are considered targets to be conserved immediately. The Korea Forest Service designated 328 rare/endemic species and 42 candidate species to protect these valuable plant resources growing here, and has conducted several projects to conserve them. Endemic plants that only grow in Korea are precious resources to be protected by our interest and attention.
As time passes, a plant becomes indigenous when it has evolved into a plant with unique features during adaption to a specific environment.
Information on indigenous plants growing in a certain area is an important factor in identifying the origin and evolution process of the relevant plants.
A taxon assigned at species level in the taxonomic hierarchy is called an endemic species, and a taxon at the genus level is called an endemic genus.
In Korea there are about 4,500 kinds of vascular plants, among which about 400 to 500 kinds are known as plants that grow only in Korea. Although there is no endemic family found in Korea, six genera appear only in Korea:
Abeliophyllum found in Jincheon, Chungcheongbuk-do for the first time, Echinosophora found in Bukcheon, Hamgeongman-do for the first time, Hanabusaya and Pentactina found in Geumgangsan for the first time,
Megaleranthis found in Jirisan, and Homopteryx found on the Bujeon Plateau in North Korea for the first time.
Korean endemic species include many valuable garden plants, so it is required for us to take an interest in them. Because they have higher economic value, it is necessary to preserve and develop them carefully.
Most of the Korean endemic species are not only globally valuable plant resources but also rare plants, so they are likely to be threatened without active protection.
Because the disappearance of these species in Korea means their extinction from the Earth, the interest of many people and special protective actions are required.
By taxa, about 10 species of filices, 15 species of gymnosperms, and 300 species of angiosperms are included among these endemic plants.
These plants are usually found in Jirisan, Baekdusan, Geumgangsan, Seoraksan, Hallasan, Gwangneung, and Sokrisan, and there are endemic plants that grow only in Korea,
including Corylopsis gotoana var. coreana, Fraxinus chiisanensis, Carex ligulata var. austro-koreensis, Filipendula glaberrima, Prunus takesimensis, Sambucus sieboldiana var.
pendula, Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai, Patrinia saniculaefolia, and Vaccinium koreanum.
Because their habitats are restricted, they are likely to become extinct if the region is destroyed.
For instance, it is now difficult to find Forsythia saxatilis in Bukhansan.
As endemic plants are precious plant resources, they should be cultivated and conserved well.
Current state of endemic plants in Korea
- Total of 328 species: 59 Family, 162 Genus, 328 Species
- 385 species, combining species and varieties: 11 species of Pteridophyta, nine species of gymnosperms,
52 species of monocotyledons and 313 species of dicotyledons
Area of distribution of endemic plants
- Hallasan (75 species)
- Jirisan (46 species)
- Baekdusan (42 species)
- Ulleungdo (36 species)
- Geumgangsan (34 species)
- Seoraksan (23 species)
- Seoul (22 species)
- Baekyangsan (16 species)
- Gwangneung (16 species)
- Nangrimsan (16 species)
- Gunjasan (14 species)
- Sokrisan (14 species)
- Bujeon plateau (12 species)
- Gwanmobong(12 species)
- and Baegunsan (12 species)
Endemic genera in Korea
Major distribution regions of endemic plants
- Mankyua: Mankyua chejuense
- Echinosophora: Echinosophora koreensis
- Pentactina: Pentactina rupicola
- Hanabusaya: Hanabusaya latisepala, Hanabusaya asiatica
- Megaleranthis: Megaleranthis saniculijolia OHWI
- Abeliophyllum: Abeliophyllum distichum
Endemic Species in Korea
There are about 400 endemic species in Korea, comprising 10% of the total plants in the country.
However, many species were treated as endemic species due to taxonomic treatment based on a narrow concept of species in the past,
and insufficient taxonomical studies on taxa distributed in neighboring nations, so a considerable number of the species listed below
(at least 1/3) are treated as synonyms at present. Thus, a new organization of the list is required.
- Rhamnaceae: Rhamnus taquetii
- Zosteraceae: Zostera geojeensis
- Ophioglossaceae: Sceptridium ternatum
- Eriocaulaceae: Eriocaulon glaberrimum, Eriocaulon latipetalum, Eriocaulon sphagnicolum
- Juncaceae: Luzula oligantha
- Asteraceae: Aster chezuensis, Youngia koidzumiana, Ligularia taquetii, Ligularia fischeri, Senecio birubonensis, Hololeion maximowiczii, Taraxacum hallaisanense, Cacalia koraiensis, Cacalia pseudo-taimingasa, Chrysanthemum zawadskii, Dendranthema sinchangense, Ixeris chinodebilis, Leontopodium hallaisanense, Leontopodium leiolepis, Leontopodium coreanum, Artemisia japonica, Cirsium rhinoceros, Cirsium setidens, Aster altaicus, Aster altaicus, Aster hayatae, Aster koraiensis, Saussurea uchiyamana, Saussurea seoulensis, Saussurea rorinsanensis, Saussurea rectinervis, Saussurea polylepe, Saussurea myokoensis, Saussurea macrolepis, Saussurea saxatilis, Saussurea koidzumiana, Saussurea maximowiczii, Saussurea pseudo-gracilis, Saussurea eriophylla, Saussurea diamantiaca, Saussurea conandrifolia, Saussurea chabyoungsanica, Saussurea calcicola, Achillea sibirica
- Aspleniaceae: Athyrium acutipinnulum, Athyrium nakaii, Asplenium anogrammoides
- Rubiaceae: Galium boreale, Galium koreanum, Asperula lasiantha, Rubia pubescens
- Lamiaceae: Scutellaria insignis, Scutellaria asperiflora, Lamium takesimense, Mentha piperascens, Salvia chanroenica, Ajuga spectabilis
- Orchidaceae: Oreorchis coreana, Liparis koreana, Calanthe coreana, Habenaria cruciformis
- Davalliaceae: Woodsia pseudoilvensis, Woodsia saitosana
- Celastraceae: Euonymus alatus
- Lauraceae: Hylotelephium ussuriense
- Euphorbiaceae: Euphorbia pekinensis, Euphorbia octoradiata, Euphorbia fauriei
- Crassulaceae: Hylotelephium viridescens, Sedum zokuriense, Sedum latiovalifolium, Orostachys saxatilis
- Araliaceae: Acanthopanax chiisanensis
- Polygonaceae: Fallopia koreana, Rheum coreanum, Bistorta globispica, Aconogonum microcarpum, Aconogonon brachytricum, Aconogonum mollifolium
- Trapaceae: Trapa bicornis
- Berberidaceae: Berberis koreana, Berberis amurensis, Berberis koreana var. angustifolia, Berberis koreana var. ellipsoides
- Dryopteridaceae: Dryopteris austriaca
- Chenopodiaceae: Axyris koreana
- Isoetaceae: Isoetes coreana
- Oleaceae: Forsythia koreana, Forsythia ovata, Forsythia saxatilis, Forsythia densiflora, Fraxinus chiisanensis, Abeliophyllum distichum, Syringa velutina var. venosa, Syringa fauriei, Ligustrum foliosum
- Ranunculaceae: Thalictrum uchiyamai, Thalictrum actaefolium var. brevistylum, Thalictrum osmorhizoides, Thalictrum rochebrunianum, Eranthis byunsanensis, Hepatica insularis, Hepatica maxima, Callianthemum insigne, Megaleranthis saniculifolia, Ranunculus crucilobus var. glabratus, Anemone koraiensis, Cimicifuga heracleifolia var. bifida, Cimicifuga simplex, Clematis fusca var. coreana, Clematis trichotoma, Clematis brachyura, Aconitum austrokoraiense, Polygonatum grandicaule, Allium thunbergii var. teretifolium, Allium thunbergii var. deltoides, Allium koreanum, Allium linearifolium, Allium deltoidefistulosum, Allium taquetii, Hosta venusta, Hosta yingeri, Hosta jonesii, Hosta minor, Smilacina bicolor, Hemerocallis taeanensis, Heloniopsis koreana, Heloniopsis tubiflora
- Salicaceae: Salix sericeo-cinerea, Salix pseudo-lasiogyne, Salix blinii, Salix blinii, Salix bicarpa, Salix floderusii var. fuscescens, Salix dependens, Salix ishidoyana, Populus glandulosa, Populus tomentiglandulosa
- Saxifragaceae: Philadelphus scaber, Philadelphus koreanus, Philadelphus seoulensis, Philadelphus schrenckii, Chrysosplenium hallaisanense, Chrysosplenium barbatum, Chrysosplenium flaviflorum, Kirengeshoma koreana, Astilbe divaricata, Astilbe rubra var. taquetii, Deutzia paniculata, Saxifraga octopetala, Saxifraga furumii, Saxifraga fortunei var. incisolobata, Sasa coreana, Sasa quelpaertensis, Poa kanboensis, Poa deschampsioides, Poa takesimana, Poa kumkangsani, Poa ullungdoensis, Arundinaria munsuensis
- Sterculiaceae: Corchoropsis tomentosa
- Balsaminaceae: Impatiens kojeensis, Impatiens textori for. atrosanguinea
- Iridaceae: Iris koreana, Iris rossii var. latifolia, Iris sanguinea var. violacea
- Lindsaeaceae: Adiantum coreanum
- Cyperaceae: Scleria mutoensis, Carex ochrochlamys, Carex sabynensis var. leiosperma, Carex tenuiformis var. neofilipes, Carex subumbellata, Carex erythrobasis, Carex okamotoi, Carex pseudosinensis, Carex phaeothrix, Carex aphanolepis, Carex humbertiana Ohwi, Kyllinga diflora
- Umbelliferae: Peucedanum insolens, Peucedanum coreanum, Angelica cartilagino-marginata, Dystaenia takesimana, Bupleurum latissimum, Pimpinella brachycarpa, Pimpinella hallaisanensis, Tilingia nakaiana
- Caryophyllaceae: Pseudostellaria bulbosa, Pseudostellaria coreana, Pseudostellaria monantha, Pseudostellaria okamotoi, Pseudostellaria sylvatica, Silene fasciculata, Silene takesimensis, Melandryum umbellatum
- Pinaceae: Picea pungsanensis, Picea jezoensis, Abies Koreana
- Nymphaeaceae: Nymphaea minima
- Amaryllidaceae: Lycoris flavescens, Lycoris aurea, Lycoris chejuensis, Lycoris chinensis
- Cruciferae/Brassicaceae: Arabis columnalis, Arabis ligulifolia, Arabis takesimana, Cardamine koreana, Cardamine violifolia
- Urticaceae: Boehmeria taquetii, Boehmeria nakaiana, Boehmeria hirtella, Boehmeria quelpaertense, Pilea taquetii, Pilea oligantha, Urtica laetevirens
- Primulaceae: Lysimachia coreana, Androsace cortusaefolia, Primula modesta
- Papaveraceae: Hylomecon hylomeconoides
- Gentianaceae: Gentiana pseudo-aquatica, Gentiana takahashii, Gentiana wootchliana
- Caprifoliaceae: Abelia tyaihyoni, Weigela subsessilis, Lonicera maximowiczii, Lonicera subsessilis
- Phytolaccaceae: Phytolacca insularis
- Betulaceae: Corylus hallaisanensis, Carpinus laxiflora, Carpinus laxiflora var. longispica, Betula ermani
- Rosaceae: Pentactina rupicola, Spiraea pseudo-crenata, Spiraea chartacea, Aruncus aethusifolius, Sorbus commixta var. pilosa, Sorbus amurensis var. rufa, Prunus takesimensis, Prunus japonica var. nakaii, Physocarpus insularis, Rubus longisepalus var. tozawai, Rubus schizostylus, Rubus takesimensis, Potentilla dickinsii, Potentilla dickinsii var. breviseta, Pourthiaea villosa var.brunnea, Rosa maximowicziana var. pilosa, Rosa kokusanensis, Filipendula formosa
- Violaceae: Viola takesimana, Viola seoulensis, Viola kapsanensis
- Aristolochiaceae: Asarum maculatum, Asarum koreanum, Asarum patens, Asarum glabrata, Asarum versicolor
- Geraniaceae: Geranium knuthii, Geranium taebaekensis, Geranium lasicaulon
- Ericaceae: Rhododendron saisiuense
- Theaceae: Stewartia koreana
- Fagaceae: Fagus crenata var. multinervis, Quercus dentata var. fallax, Quercus glauca var. nudata
- Araceae: Arisaema takesimense
- Campanulaceae: Hanabusaya asiatica, Hanabusaya latisepala, Codonopsis minima, Adenophora verticillata var. abbreviata, Adenophora koreana, Adenophora erecta, Adenophora kayasanensis, Adenophora remotidens, Adenophora racemosa, Campanula takesimana
- Leguminosae: Echinosophora koreensis, Vicia hirticalycina, Vicia venosissima, Maackia fauriei, Oxytropis strobilacea, Indigofera koreana , Indigofera grandiflora, Lespedeza maritima, Astragalus koraiensis
- Tiliaceae: Tilia insularis, Tilia semicostata
- Scrophulariaceae: Veronica kiusiana var. diamantica, Veronica nakaiana, Veronica dahurica, Pedicularis hallaisanensis, Pedicularis lunaris, Pedicularis nigrescens, Pedicularis ishidoyana, Pedicularis vantioiana, Paulownia coreana, Euphrasia coreanalpina, Euphrasia coreana, Euphrasia mucronulata, Euphrasia retrotricha, Scrophularia takesimensis, Scrophularia cephalantha, Scrophularia buergeriana, Scrophularia kakudensis
- Fumariaceae: Corydalis grandicalyx, Corydalis hallaisanensis, Corydalis humilis, Corydalis maculata, Corydalis hirtipes, Corydalis namdoensis, Corydalis filistipes, Corydalis albipetala
[Korean Endemic Vascular Plants](2005, Korean National Arboretum)
Endemic plants refer to a native plant that only grows in a limited area.
Because these plants are relic endemics, although they were distributed in a broad range, the range became narrow, and neo-endemics were formed by new local speciation,
so their population size tends to be reduced or maintained as a small population. Moreover, they respond to even small changes in environmental factors, so they are considered targets to be conserved immediately.
The recent rapid development of industry and mass development of the nation's land are direct reasons for species decrease, as well as habitat disturbances.
In this situation, it seems important and urgent most of all to grasp the facts about endemic plants in Korea.
Although the Korean Peninsula possesses relatively various flora and contains many endemic plants, there are few clear results from their true facts.
The book "Korean Endemic Vascular Plants" (2005, Korean National Arboretum) contains research results that were organized based on literature as the first step to understand the true facts about wild vascular plants in Korea.
Korea Biodiversity Information System > Plant Resource > Plant Classification > Protected Plants > Endemic Plants
