Hong Kong, though small in size, the flora is diverse in character and surprisingly numerous in species.

The major vegetation of Hong Kong belongs to the evergreen broad-leaved forest of the subtropics. Besides those representatives of southern China, many species typical of the Southeast Asian tropical flora are also seen here at the limit of their northern distribution range.

About 3100 species and varieties of vascular plants have been recorded in Hong Kong, around 2100 of which are native and the rest are of exotic origin.

The diverse plant species in Hong Kong are our invaluable resources which deserve our appreciation and effort to conserve them.

What is a herbarium?

A herbarium is a collection of plant specimens that usually have been dried and pressed, carefully mounted on sheets of quality paper, identified and labelled with important information about them, and stored and arranged on shelves in cabinets in the sequence of an accepted classification. These specimens are the key to our knowledge of plants and serve as a permanent reference to the diversity of plants and for other scientific studies. They also serve as a definitive reference for the identification and correct naming of newly collected plants. Herbarium collections have been built up over the years by the efforts of numerous botanists and plant collectors. In short, a herbarium is analogous to a library of carefully preserved plants where the specimens themselves and the labels associated with them provide invaluable information for scientific studies.

Hong Kong Herbarium

The Hong Kong Herbarium managed by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department is responsible for the systematic collection, identification and curation of specimens representative of the Hong Kong flora.

It was established in 1878 and is the most comprehensive herbarium in Hong Kong. There are approximate 39 000 plant specimens for examination. It plays a significant role in supporting studies on taxonomy, ecology and conservation of the Hong Kong flora.

The Herbarium also maintains a web-site (http://herbarium.gov.hk/), providing information on local plants.

Information about the Hong Kong Herbarium

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Hong Kong Plant Database

Hong Kong Plant Database provides information and images about the plants of Hong Kong (including the native and exotic species that have been recorded in Hong Kong), based primarily on the specimen records of the Hong Kong Herbarium.

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