Studying the stoichiometric characteristics of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in plants of different functional groups and their responses to micro-topographical variations in hilly and gully region of the Loess Plateau of China will be beneficial in terms of understanding the adaptive strategies of plants to the hilly and gully environment. This study involved an analysis in plants of different functional groups growing under different micro-topographical conditions, such as slope aspect and slope position, in a forest-steppe zone in the hilly and gully region of the Loess Plateau of China. Specifically, we studied the stoichiometric characteristics of C, N, and P in leaf and root tissues of these plants and their responses to micro-topographical conditions, including the concentrations of C, N, and P and the stoichiometric characteristics of leaf and fine root tissue of plants in different functional groups. First, the results showed that the leaf total N and P concentrations (LN and LP, respectively), fine root total N concentration (RN), root total C concentration (RC), leaf C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios (LC/LN, LC/LP and LN/LP, respectively), and fine root C:N and N:P ratios (RC/RN and RN/RP, respectively) were significantly different at both the family and genus level (P<0.05). In contrast, the leaf total C concentration (LC), fine root total P concentration (RP), and root C:P ratio (RC/RP) were not significantly different at either the family or genus level (P>0.05). Second, the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of different plant genera had different responses to micro-topographical variations. The RC/RN ratio of plants in the Gramineae was significantly different at sites with either a south or north aspect. However, the concentrations of C, N, and P and the stoichiometric characteristics of leaf and fine root tissues of plants in the Gramineae, Leguminosae, and Asteraceae were not significantly different at sites with either a south or north aspect. The fine root N concentrations of plants in the Leguminosae were significantly different for plants at different slope positions (P<0.05). The LN, LC, root total N concentration, LC/LN, RC/RN of plants in the Asteraceae differed significantly at sites with different slope positions (P<0.05). Third, plants in different families and genera adapted to the environment by reacting differently to the concentrations of C, N, and P and stoichiometric characteristics. Generally, plants in the Gramineae were mainly limited by N and P in the middle slope positions, while they were limited by N on the other slope positions. Leguminous plants were mainly limited by P in the upper and middle slope positions, whereas they were limited by N and P at Mao (mountaintop) and lower slope position. Asteraceae plants were mainly limited by N and P on the upper slopes, whereas they were limited by N on the other slope positions. The stoichiometric characteristics of plants belonging to different families and genera showed significant differences among different micro-topographical environments. This indicated that plants in different families and genera may be limited by different nutrient elements in different micro-topographical environments, and that these plants adapted to variations in the hilly and mountainous environment may have different adaptive strategies. Leguminous and Graminaceous plants had a strong overall adaptability to the environment through the coordination of various traits that allowed them to adapt to the environment. However, Asteraceae plants adapted to environmental changes by unique and individual traits, allowing them to adapt to local conditions.