Cuc Phuong is very diverse in flora species composition structure. With such an area equaling to 0.07 % out of the total area nationwide, it accounts for 57.93 % of flora families, 36.09 % of genetic diversity and 17.27 % of the species as compared with total figures for the country.
Cuc Phuong is very diverse in flora species composition structure. With such an area equaling to 0.07 % out of the total area nationwide, it accounts for 57.93 % of flora families, 36.09 % of genetic diversity and 17.27 % of the species as compared with total figures for the country. Cuc Phuong NP has 20,473 ha of forest out of the total land area of 22,200 ha (accounting for 92.2 %). The vegetation cover here is the type of evergreen tropical rainforest. According to Thai Van Trung (1976), Cuc Phuong belongs to the type of closed humid evergreen tropical rainforest. Cuc Phuong has a considerable area of primary forest, mainly focused on the limestone mountain area and at valleys in the centre of the NP. It is the special location that leads to the rich species composition structure of the park. Cuc Phuong contains many non-indigenous plant species established with many indigenous ones. Representation of the indigenous species is those of Lauraceae, Magnoliaceae and Meliaceae families while those species of Dipterocarpaceae family is representative of non-indigenous species from the warmer southern region. Representative of those coming from the north are those of Fagaceae species. Cuc Phuong is an area of significant primary forest, mainly on limestone mountains and valleys in thecenter of the park. As a special place to hold the rich plant species in Cuc Phuong.
Survey results of recent years (2008) recorded 2,234 species of 917 genera, 231 families. Many of them are of high value: 430 medicinal plant species, 229 edible plant species, 240 species can be used as medicine, dye, 137 species can provide tannin, etc; 13 species are listed in Vietnam Red Data Book 2000 and IUCN Red List 2004. Some outstanding species are Dalbergia tonkinensis; Parashorea chinensis, Erythrophloeum fordii; and Nageia fleyri. There are 11 endemic plant species, including Camellia cucphuongensis; Begonia cucphuongensis; Pistacia cucphuongensis; Amorphophallus dzui; Vietorchis aurea; Carex trongii, etc.
During the investigation survey, scientists discovered two new genus for Vietnam, which are Nyctocalos(Bignoniaceae) and Garrdneria (Loganiaceae). One thing that is special for Cuc Phuong that has discovered a new genus and a new species to science, it is Vietorchis aurea Averyanov (Orchidaceae).
