Abstract:Fourteen long-term fixed monitoring plots were established in the Chenhedong Provincial Nature Reserve in Conghua, Guangdong Province to explore the community structure characteristics of woody plants in this area. The results showed that a total of 23777 woody plants with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥1.0 cm were recorded in the plots, of which 185 were unidentified and the rest belonged to 289 species in 121 genera and 55 families. Among the plant composition, there were 8 dominant families, accounting for 14.54% of the total number of families; 14 dominant genera, accounting for 11.57% of the total number of genera; and 25 species with an importance value ≥1.00%, accounting for 8.65% of the total number of species. The distribution types of plant families included 7 types and 8 variants, with tropical distribution being the most dominant, accounting for 62.50% of the total number of dominant families; the distribution types of plant genera included 12 types and 10 variants, with tropical distribution being the most dominant, accounting for 78.57% of the total number of dominant genera. The number of common, occasional and rare species in the plots were 120, 107 and 62 respectively, accounting for 41.52%, 37.02% and 21.45% of the total number of species. The average DBH of all individuals in the plots was 5.33 cm, and the average tree height was 5.85 m. The diameter and height class structures were both in an inverted “J” shape, indicating a good community regeneration and a stable growth process. This study enhanced the understanding of the structural characteristics of the evergreen broad-leaved forest ecosystem in the South China subtropical region, and also provided a basis for the management, protection strategies and ecological restoration of the nature reserve.