The characteristics of the contents of 20 elements (Al, Fe, Mn, Ca, Mg, K, S, Si, P, Cd, Cu, Zn, Ti, Ni, Sr, Mo, Na, B, Cr, V) in 16 plant species collected from the Three Gorges Region in China were investigated. The average contents of Ca, K and Mg were higher than 1 000 mu g.g(-1), that of Al, P, Si, Fe, S and Mn ranged between 100 similar to 1 000 mu g.g(-1) and Ti, Cu, Ni, Cr, Mo, Cd and V were less than 10 mu g.g(-1). The level of Na content was less than that of the reported. The main character of the element contents was of the Ca > K type. The contents of P, S, Ca and K in different plant samples showed a normal distribution pattern, while Al and Mn showed a elements lognormal distribution pattern. Plant species differed greatly in the element contents. On analyzing the coefficient of variation (C.V., %), Al, Mn, Mg, Ni, Sr and Fe had higher C.V., while the C.V. of K, S, P, Cr, Cd and Cu was less than 60%, and Cu had the lowest C.V. The correlations between Al and Fe, Al and Ti, Al and Cr, Al and V, Cd and Sr, Cd and Mo, Fe and V, Zn and Cr, Ni and Sr, Mg and Ni, Mo and Sr, Ca and Sr, Cr and Mo, Na and Mg, Na and P, P and S were statistically significant in different plant species. The classification of the 16 plant species and 20 elements by two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) method may suggest the difference in element contents of the different plant species.
