Chinese Dove Tree

Among scarce plants, the dove tree is perhaps the most famous one and regarded as  “living fossil”, survived during the Glacier of the Fourth Period ( 2.5 million years ago). Botanists were not able to trace its origin until the middle of 19th century. In the Badagongshan National Nature Reserve located in Sangzhi county, there exists a small valley replete with over 10, 000 wild dove trees, hence named “dove tree valley”, which boasts the world’s biggest “ King of Dove Tree”  that  is 30 meters high and 1.5 meters diametric, covering 600 square meters with its leaves and branches.