The Fragaria species native to China and their geographical distribution

More Fragaria species grow in China than in any other country. Of about 25 recognized Fragaria species in the world, 13 have distribution in China. Since 1980, 317 wild strawberry accessions have been collected from throughout the world and conserved in Shenyang Agricultural University, of which 252 were collected from China. The objective of this study was to evaluate these plants to determine the main taxonomical characteristics and ploidy. The 13 Chinese species include eight diploids: F. chinensis Lozinsk., F. daltoniana J. Gay, F. mandschurica Staudt, F. nilgerrensis Schlect., F. nubicola Lindl., F. pentaphylla Lozinsk., F. vesca L. and F. viridis Duch., and five tetraploids: F. corymbosa Lozinsk, F. gracilis A. Los., F. moupinensis (French.) Card., F. orientalis Lozinsk and F. tibetica Staudt & Dickore. There was some variation within several Fragaria species. In recent years, several wild pentaploid strawberry genotypes were collected from northeast China. A dichotomous key of Fragaria species growing in China was prepared, considering runner branching, leaflets, sex, fruit characteristics, as well as presence of hairs on petioles, runners and peduncles. The Chinese geographical distribution of each species was also described.