Abstract: Micromorphological characteristics of achene surfaces were studied in 16 species belonging to 4 sections of Subgen Saussurea in Lipsh by the scanning electron microscope. These species were obtained from the eastern of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau fringe We got the results as follow, (1) According to micromorphological characteristics, the achene surface features can be divided into three types, striate ornamentation, septate striate ornamentation, and reticulate ornamentation. (2) The achene surface features were constant in infraspecific. At the same time, achene surface features of interspecies were similar in same section and distinctive in different ones. Therefore, it seemed to be useful to use micromorphological characteristics in Subgne Saussurea taxonomy both at species and sectional level.

Key words: Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, Subgen Saussurea, achenes surface features, classification