Transcript 幻灯片 1

Introduction to Xishuangbanna
 A beautiful, magical, rich and fertile paradise,
the only oasis close to the Tropic of Cancer on
the Earth.
Boasting the best-preserved tropical primeval
rainforest and colorful customs and habits of
ethnic groups.
Meaning of Xishuangbanna
Xishuang means 12, Banna means
1000 pieces of land, …used to be the
12 administrative divisions in ancient
times, used to be called “勐巴拉那
西”meaning “ an ideal and wonderful
paradise”
Location: the southernmost tip of China’s Yunnan
province; it borders Laos and Burma to the east, west,
and south.
Size: an area of 19.000 square km,
Population: about, 1 million, thirteen ethnic groups
such as Dai, Hani, Jinuo etc. Dai people account for
1/3 of the total population here, the Dai autonomous
Prefecture was established in 1955.
The capital is “Jinghong”: “the City of Dawn” in the
Dai language.
 Climate: a tropical rainforest climate, the
average temperature of Xishuangbanna is
21oc. never snows and the season is
distinguished by rainfall. from November to
April of the next year, dry season; a paradise
for visitors in winter.
 Reputation:
the kingdom of plants,
the kingdom of animals,
the gene tank of plants and animals,
a green gem on the Tropic of Cancer
Features:
 boasting over 20 000 kinds of plants, of which 3
000 are higher plants, accounting for 1/6 of the
total in China.
rich in precious plants. 51 species are under state
protection, occupying 15% of the total stateproctection plants.
plants here are of economic value, 1 200 kinds of
industrial plants that can be directly used and
some of them are rarely found in other places
The Lancang-Mekong River
 originates in the Tanggula Mountain of the
Qinghai Plateau in China and flows into Yunnan
from the eastern part of Tibet.
 flows out of Xishuangbanna of China into
Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet
Nam and finally empties into the Pacific Ocean.
 The section in China, named the Lanchang River
and out of China, called the Mekong River.
 Being a famous international river in southeast
Asia, it enjoys the fame “the Danube in the East”.
 Known as “the Plume of the Peacock”,
Location: 34 km southeast of Jinghong City.
Xishuangbanna is a green peacock, then
the Ganlan Basin is the tail of the peacock.
The tropical scenery and the Dai bamboo
houses set each other off harmoniously so
that tourists will surely be impressed.
A saying goes that “One makes a worthless
trip to Xishuangbanna if he does not
come to the Ganlan Basin”.
The Menglun Tropical Botanical
Garden
Location: in 勐仑 township, on a gourd-
shaped peninsula surrounded by 罗梭 river (a
tributary of Lancang River) on 3 sides
Composition: the east section (scientific
research & the preservation of rain forests) and
the western section ( the main part for
sightseeing ,
be connected with 勐 仑 Township by a
suspension bridge)
Basic facts:
• Over 900 hectares in size, 35 scientific theme
gardens, over 4000 rare tropical plants in the
world, it ranks the 1st in size in China, be rich in
plants variety and species preservation.
Value:
•be of high value in scientific research,
science popularization, sightseeing and
patriotic education.
Plants wonders:
•the board-like root, blossoms on old
stems, the killer of plants, one tree
makes a forest, the flying rattans,
natural gardens in the air ( to explain
the reasons of their formation)
Size: (55 mu) 3.7 hectares
The statue of Cai Xitao and his
students : “ the tour in forest”
Prof. Cai and the garden:
• In Jan. 1st, 1951, YN Tropical Plants Research
Institute Of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
was established under the leadership of a
famous botanist in China---Cai Xitao .
• Many tropical rain forests at the same latitude
disappeared due to the destruction of ecology
balance
• So as
to protect the tropical rainforests in
Xishuangbanna, he led an advance team to
make an investigation on the plants here,
reached the Gourd Peninsula by canoes, and
finally established the institute in the primitive
forests on the peninsula.
The achievements of professor Cai:
 in 1972 , he discovered the medicinal
plant “Mayten”to kill cancer cells.
 the realization of natural plants
community through artificial ways.
 the reasonable and scientific research
on the basis of careful protection of the
natural environment here.
Mayten ( 美登木)
Medical value:
a medicinal plants which can kill
cancer cells effectively, be discovered
by Cai in the tropical rain forest in
1972 , be researched and planted in
the garden in artificial ways .
( Dracaena) 龙血树 ： “Longevity Pine”
(as it can live up to 5000 years)
Medicinal value:
to promote blood circulation and remove
blood stasis.
Cai planted a Dracaena in the Garden of
Famous People and Trees in person.
In 1981, when he passed away , some of
his ashes were buried under the tree to
commemorate
his devotion to the
Botanist Research Institute.
Towering Tree (Chinese
Parashoreas, 望天树) :
“ the giant in the
tropical
rainforest”
because of its height
( more than 20 meters).
It is the highest arbor in tropical
rainforest. There
is a Chinese
Parashoreas planted by the President
of World Wild Living Beings
Foundation (Prince Philip of Britain)
in the Garden of Famous People and
Trees.
贝叶棕 ( pattra palm )
贝叶棕 ( pattra palm )
Features:
the tall palm , wide leaves and hard trunk,
leaves are broad, thick and durable,
characters inscribed on it can be kept for a
long time.
Use:
Dai people inscribe their Buddhist
scriptures on the leaves and barks , hence
formed the famous pattra scriptures.
Poison Tree (毒木箭, upas/curare tree)
The most poisonous plant in the world:
If a animal was shot by the arrowhead with the
poison of upas/curare tree, the animal will die
from the clotting of blood within a few minutes.
The oldest cycas(铁树) in Xishuangbanna can be
founded in this garden( the cycas king with a
history more than 1000 years). The pistil and
stamen are on different branches.
The Banian Garden :
Introduction:
1 hectare (15 mu) in size, be built in 1993, 60 kinds of
banians are collected , the special views formed by
banians ( be of high value for sightseeing ):
board-like root,
blossoms on old stems,
the natural garden in the air,
plants killer,
one tree makes a forest
The board-like root:
the banian with wings-like root
system, look like a rocket ready to
be launched
Formation:
 Lime mountains in tropical rain forest,
rocks, to clutch the land, to support the thick
trunk and the huge tree crown firmly
 Their roots adapt themselves to the natural
environment very well. It proves the law in
the nature: Adaptability leads to subsistence.
The Natural Garden in The Air:
clusters of orchids on banians
parasitic orchids (附生兰) :
Formation:
parasitic
orchids
aerial roots
enable them
to absorb
water and
nutrient from
air
take roots on banians’
trunks and branches
Easy to get enough
sunshine and rain
orchids in full
blossom
(a natural
garden in the air)
The plants
killer
( popular
name: Plant
Hangman)
Plants killer
the parasitic
plants ( usually
rattan plants)
make a living
stronger ,
weaker
the host plants
absorbing
the nutrient
from…
At last, the host plant will be
covered by the plants killer ( rattans)
and die from the lack of water and
sunshine.
---The blossoms on old trunk:
successful living of parasitic plants:
The parasitic plants grow well with fresh leaves and
flowers, however, the host plants gradually died with
only withered trunks left .
The parasitic plants will continue to hunt another
host plant for its future living.
The parasitic plants grow well with fresh leaves and
flowers, however, the host plants gradually died with
only withered trunks left .
The parasitic plants will continue to hunt another
host plant for its future living.
---One Tree Makes A Forest ( banian):
Banian , the evergreen
arbor (many branches
and rattans)
aerial roots
long
enough to
get the
earth
to support
the huge
crown of the
banian
gradually become
the trunk-like
roots
take roots
in the soil
a lot of supporting roots will be
misunderstood as the trunks of
many banian trees, hence form a
forest.
4. The Garden of Precious Flowers:
---the dancing grass :
。
Formation:
different pressures of
cells at the end of leaves
the sound
( above 45
decibels)
to vibrate air
the pressures
will change
according to
the rhythms
---the sensitive grass:
Formation:
some liquid
the leaves will
bubbles in
droop and
the stems
shrink due to
the gravity
they function as
the bags to store
liquid will flow
nutrient for the
out of those
tiny leaves
“ bags” into the
Stimulus (eg.
tiny leaves
touch)
Palms Garden: the examples of
palms
---pattra palm
Bottle-like palm ( 董棕）
(Caryota urens linn):
Features:
 It grows in humid and warm areas with
the longest age of 60 years.
The ideal ornamental plants :
 Straight and tall trunk , the shape of a beer
bottle ( a thin neck and a big belly).
 It can reach 30 meters in height and 0.5 meters
in diameter at most, the hanging leaves, resemble
the wings of birds(10 meters at most).
Words and Expressions
 aerial roots 气根
cluster n. 丛生
 epiphyte n. 附生植物
 One Tree Forest 独树成林
 arbor n. 乔木
 Tropic of Cancer 北回归线
 plank buttress 板根
 water plant 水生植物
 shade plant 阴地植物
Words and Expressions
 starch n. 淀粉
 pattra-leaf scriptures 贝叶经
气生根
 blossoms on old trunks 老茎生花
 mayten n. ［植］美登木
 upas n. ［植］见血封喉
 parasitic n. 寄生的
 aerial root
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