Abstract:Cathaya argyrophylla Chun et Kuang is a Chinese endemic rare species distributed in Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Hunan Provinces. It is considered as an endangered crop and is listed in the China Red Data of Plants due to its very limited resources. The distribution pattern of C. argyrophylla population was related to its biological characteristics such as the age structure and regeneration mode, and the microenvironmerits. In the old forests, gaps were abundant and occupied by variable-aged individuals of C. argyrophylla, resulting in a contagious distribution pattern. In the young forests random distribution pattern was more often found. Under the same climatic and site condition, the heterogeneity of microenvironments resulting from the different degree of rock cover and soil erosion significantly affected the type and scale of distribution pattern of C. argyrophylla population. Even in the same gap, the center and the edge could have different effects on the distribution pattern due to the uneven sunlight illuminance. As one of the codominants, the distribution of C. argyrophylla in communities was affected by other dominants, especially by the evergreen tree species. Light was the major factor determining the distribution pattern of C. argyrophylla in various communities. The pattem scale of contagious distribution of C. argyrophyUa population was mostly less than 16 ㎡, although it differed among communities.