To investigate the influence of vegetation patch distribution patterns on open-channel flow characteristics, three vegetation patch coverage ratios and four patch fragmentation degrees were designed under non-submerged conditions. Numerical simulations of flow through longitudinally discontinuous rigid vegetation patches in a river channel were conducted using ANSYS Fluent. The results show that the longitudinally discontinuous distribution of vegetation patches disrupts the continuity and uniformity of flow velocity in the flow field.When the unit patch size is constant, an increase in vegetation patch coverage ratio leads to a greater velocity difference between the patch region and the mainstream region. When the vegetation patch coverage ratio is constant, an increase in patch fragmentation degree promotes the homogenization of flow velocity across the entire flow field. Flow turbulence is relatively strong in the region from the vegetation bottom to half of the water depth, and both patch coverage ratio and patch fragmentation degree are important factors affecting turbulence intensity.An increase in patch coverage ratio enhances turbulence characteristics in the mainstream region, whereas an increase in patch fragmentation degree intensifies turbulence characteristics within the patches.