Abstract: Myxospermy is commonly existed in the plant families Brassicaceae, Acanthaceae and Asteraceae in arid regions. This paper summarized the concept of myxospermy, characters of mucilage, and present situation and issues in myxospermy research. At present, the studies of myxospermy are focused on the identification of mucilaginous species, the structure and component of mucilage, the mechanisms and processes of mucilage production, and the functions of myxospermy. In the future,the ecological functions of myxospermy should be more concerned, especially from the aspect of identifying the mucilaginous species in different flora. New methodologies should be introduced, and the significance of myxospermy in vegetation restoration should be further explored.

Key words: Organicall modified clay, Prorocentrum donghaiense, Red tide