Abstract:In order to screen the shade tolerant ground cover plant used in Beijing,the photosynthetic pigmentcontent and photosynthetic characteristics of 28 species/cultivars of ground cover plants were studied.Theresults showed that the ratio of chlorophyll a/b in Dianthus barbatus,Salvia japonica,Bromus inermis cv.Yuanye,Lotus corniculatus,Lolium perenne cv.Niuyi,Viola philippica,Lolium perenne cv.Accent,Trifoliumrepens,Linum perenne,Platycodon grandiflorus,Medicago sativa cv.WL354HQ was lower among these 28plants,indicated that these plants were more resistant to shade.The light saturation point and light compensationpoint of Agropyron trachycaulum cv.Slender,Dianthus barbatus,Taraxacum mongolicum and Carex japonicakept a relatively lower level,and their apparent quantum efficiency was above 0.05,which indicated thatthese 4 plants were more tolerant to shade stress.The light saturation points of Lolium perenne cv.Accent,Elymus sibiricus,Festuca elata,Festuca elata cv.Colorado,Lotus corniculatus and Salvia japonica were all above1 200 μmol/(m2·s),and the light compensation points were below 50 μmol/(m2·s),the total chlorophyllcontent was above 0.8 mg/g,and the apparent quantum efficiency was above 0.05,which indicated theirstrong ability to utilize weak light.