The conception of pollen source area has attracted broadly attention since it was proposed in the 1960s. In this paper,it can be subdivided into Normal Source Area of Pollen (NSAP) and Relevant Source Area of Pollen (RSAP) based on reviewing former studies and our recent work of vegetation survey and pollen analysis in the Northern China. The NSAP means a source area of pollen input a sedimentary basin,indicating a distance area beyond where the pollen contents of major pollen types do not show evident increase with increased distance. The RSAP means a source area of pollen assemblages in a basin has the closest relationship with surrounding plants,indicating a distance area beyond where the relationship between pollen assemblage and surrounding vegetation do not show obvious increase with increased distance. The changes of sedimentary basins radii and pollen grain size influence the NSAP and RSAP evidently. Wind speed also changes the NSAP, but does not significantly affect  RSAP. The pollen of a sedimentary basin is composed of local pollen,regional pollen and extraregional pollen,which usually account for 30%~45%,25%~60% and 10%~30%,respectively. Local pollen which refers to the pollen coming within the RSAP range,is a reflection of the surrounding vegetation,and has important implications to the reconstruction and succession of local vegetation. Regional pollen which refers to the pollen coming from within the range of NSAP and excluding the range of local pollen,is the important carrier of studies for vegetation restoration and climate change. The pollen that comes outside the range of NSAP is called Extraregional pollen,which is mainly from greater distance by upperair flow,and has no indicator significance to the regional vegetation.