New atlas brings nation's largest plant family to book

Amidst the grandeur of the 31st Beijing International Book Fair, which ran between June 18 and 22, a monumental work was unveiled: Atlas of Compositae Plants in China.

Published by the Henan Science and Technology Press, this comprehensive guide to China's largest plant family captivated the attention of botanists and plant enthusiasts, igniting a wave of excitement in the community.

The Compositae family, known for its astonishing diversity and wide distribution, encompasses 296 genera and 2,533 species in China alone, according to the atlas.

The creation of this atlas was spearheaded by Chen Yousheng, a renowned researcher from the South China Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His dedication to the study of plants spans nearly three decades, during which he led numerous national natural science projects, authored over 70 high-level research papers and edited or co-authored about 10 works.

Chen's journey toward the groundbreaking publication began in 2016, when he was responsible for editing the seventh volume of Higher Plants in China in Colour, which included over 860 species of Compositae. "I started thinking of compiling a more comprehensive atlas dedicated solely to the Compositae family," Chen told China Daily.