11 varieties of wild ferns newly discovered in Mount Taishan

JINAN, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Management authorities of Mount Tai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in east China's Shandong Province, have reported their latest finding of 11 new varieties of wild ferns.

These primitive non-flowering plants appeared on Earth in the same period as the dinosaurs. Experts believe that this discovery is a testament to the pristine ecological environment of Mount Taishan.

According to the Mount Tai management committee, these newly discovered species were found during a pteridophyte diversity investigation, which is carried out to improve biodiversity protection and ensure full protection of the ecosystem, biological species and biological genetic resources in Mount Tai.

The first phase of the investigation has been completed and during this comprehensive survey over 3,000 photos have been captured and more than 200 plant specimens have been produced.

Mount Tai currently has 1,136 species of vascular plants, 38 species of ferns and 989 species of seed plants. Eight species are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.