[Growth characteristics of rock plant Pogonatherum paniceum]

The study on the growth characters, above and underground biomass, and root-shoot ratio of Pogonatherum paniceum grown on three types of substrates and five types of habitats in Chongqing showed that there were significant differences in plant growth characters, including stalk basal diameter, plant canopy and height, root system area and depth, and maximum root length among five habitats. For shoot growth, though the plants grown on purple soil had the maximum stalk basal diameter (15.18 cm), canopy (3 086.77 cm2) and height (6.58 cm) while those grown on purple sandy rock had the minimum values (stalk basal diameter 10.89 cm, canopy 1 868.79 cm2, and height 60.75 cm). There were no significant differences among three types of substrates. As for root system, there were significant differences between sandy rocks and purple soil, the plants grown on sandy rocks having higher means of root system area (1 389.14 cm2 and 1 487.14 cm2) and maximum root length (45.83 cm and 39.24 cm) than those grown on purple soil (root system area 717.09 cm2, maximum root length 21.42 cm). The plants grown on sandy rock allocated more biomass to root system, and had higher root-shoot ratio, which was helpful for its fixation on rock and its endurance on the desiccation and arid of rock substrate.