The poorest region in floral richness, with only about five thousand vascular plant species, is North Asia. This region is primarily Siberia, the eastern part of Russia, reaching from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Bering Strait in the east and from the Arctic Circle in the north to Mongolia and Kazakhstan in the south. The region's weather is temperate, with short, mild summers and long, cold winters. The predominant vegetation in North Asia is coniferous (boreal) forest. This region, called the taiga, contains mainly pine, spruce, fir, larch, and some species in the birch, aspen, and willow families. Because the trees there are straight and tall, the taiga provides timber for Russia's forestry industry. Small, perennial herbs and a few types of shrubs grow in the taiga's swamps or marshes.
Farther north is the cooler Arctic area called the tundra. Plants that grow in tundra are resistant to the cold climate. During the summer they complete their life cycle quickly, before winter comes. Tundra plant species are members of such common families as composites, peas, grasses, and reeds. Far beyond the tundra is Arctic ice.
Asia's native plant species provide shelter and food for animals. For example, arrow bamboo and umbrella bamboo, found in the forests of central to southwest China, are the main food of the giant panda. Many plants in Asia also provide food, ornaments, or medicine for humans.
See also: Dry Mixed Forests, Desert and Steppe, Food Crops, Scientific Value
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