Abstract: Eremurus inderiensis is a unique ephemeroid species in the Gurbantunggut Desert in China. In this paper, the aboveground biological characteristics, biomass allocation and biomass estimation were studied using the wholeplant excavation. The results show that there were the significant positive correlations between the aboveground morphological indicators and organ biomasses of E. inderiensis, showing an evidently collaborative growth relationship. The mean belowground biomass of E. inderiensis was (12.00±5.85) g per individual, which occupied 58.23%±6.07% of the total biomass; while the mean aboveground biomass was (9.15±5.75) g per individual, 41.77%±6.07% of the total biomass, and the root-shoot ratio (R/S) was 1.44 ± 0.34. The root (51.61%±5.93% of the total biomass) occupied the most of the total biomass, the next two were sexual reproduction organ (25.14%±5.02%) and photosynthetic organ (16.63%±3.75%), and this allocation pattern reflected the life-form characters of ephemeroid plant. The R/S and the aboveground morphological indicators were negatively correlated. The allometric analysis between leaf biomass, inflorescence biomass, above- and belowground biomass revealed that there were the isometric relationships only between leaves and aboveground biomass and between leaves and inflorescence biomass, but the allometric ones between others. Based on D and HD², the accuracy of above and belowground biomasses and total biomass estimated with the direct estimation models was high, and that of belowground biomass estimated with the direct and indirect (based on allometric relationship) estimation models was also high.  

Key words: ephemeroid plant, Eremurus inderiensis, flowering stage, biomass, allocation pattern, Gurbantunggut Desert