Plant resources of Triarrhena and Miscanthus species in China and its meaning for Europe

The giant grasses, some speeies in Triarrhena and Miscanthus, have high potential of biomass productivity and cou'd be used as a source of renewab'e raw materia' and energy. China is one of the most important distribution areas of these plants. An overall investigation on the high potential speeies and their geographical distribution in China is undertaken and the resultsare presented. T.lutarioriparia, ever named Miscanthus saccharif/orus, is an endemie speeies in China. It can grow to 6-7 m high and is being used as an important paper-making materia!. This speeies distributes in China in warm temperate regions from 28°36’ North latitude to 34°49’ North latitude; and from 110°41’ East longitude to 121°29’ East longitude. A cultivation trial shows that this speeies can grow over 3.5 m and over-winter safely in Braunschweig, Germany. The product quality, botanical and agronomie properties of this speeies are somewhat different to another hybrid speeies, Miscanthus × giganteus, the well-known speeies being cultivated and investigated in Europe. It is very interesting to integrate the newly introduced plant, T. lutarioriparia into the start materiais of Miscanthus breeding work. There are more information about other related plants given in this paper.