More than 5,000 dove trees have been discovered in Zhijin County of southwest China's Guizhou Province, local government sources said on Tuesday.

The local government sources said the trees, with the oldest ones dating back more than 800 years, have not only ornamental value but value in scientific research.

Dove trees have been included in the list of plants under state primary protection in China.

Dove tree (Davidia Involucrata Baill), a sort of deciduous arbor, is regarded as living fossil in flora world with a history of 10 million years. Most species of dove trees have extinguished gradually. Only a few of them survived in part of southern China.

In addition to Guizhou, dove trees have been found in Shennongjia of central Hubei Province and Mount Emei in southwestern Sichuan Province.

(Xinhua News Agency October 6, 2009)