Abstract: The characteristics and distribution of plant propagules are of great significance to plant colonization and community regeneration, and thus to ecological restoration of mountain rivers. Taking Dicun Stream (32 km long), the source of Jiulong River, as the research object, 16 plots were evenly set at 2km intervals, within which plant propagules were collected and environmental factors were recorded. The characteristics and spatial distribution of plant propagules along the mountain river were examined. Along the vertical gradient from upstream to downstream, the abundance of plant propagules decreased gradually. Propagules were mainly contributed by herbaceous plants. Some of them had several appendages simultaneously, and capsule was the dominant fruit type. In the longitudinal gradient, species richness of plant propagules in the four dispersal modes showed a downward trend, with the magnitude of reduction following an order ofautochory < anemochory < hydrochory < zoochory. The species number of plant propagules and the way of dispersal were affected by many factors, in which human interference played a key role. In conclusion, there were many species of riparian plant propagules along the mountain river, the dispersal modes of which were affected by their own characteristics and environmental factors, especially the interference of human factors.

Key words: mountain river, propagule, floating ability, dispersal mode, environmental factor.