Prior to European settlement, the Caribbean was dominated by forested ecosystems. The insular Caribbean has been considered a biodiversity hotspot.Myers, N., R. A. Mittermeier, C. G. Mittermeier, G. A. B. da Fonseca, and J. Kent. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403:853-858. Although species diversity is lower than on mainland systems, endemism is high.
Species diversity is highest and endemism is lowest in Trinidad, which has a predominantly continental flora. Endemism is highest in Cuba and Hispaniola, the largest members of the Greater Antilles.
List of species
Native species
Acanthaceae Avicennia germinans
Anacardiaceae Comocladia dodonaea Spondias mombin
Annonaceae Annona trinitensis Van den Eynden, V. 2006. Review of endemic plants of Trinidad and Tobago. Duguetia Duguetia lucida Duguetia tobagensis Rollinia Rollinia mucosa Rollinia exsucca
Apocynaceae Plumeria rubra
Arecaceae
Araliaceae Aralia Aralia excelsa Aralia rex Dendropanax Dendropanax arboreus Dendropanax blakeanus Dendropanax cordifolius Dendropanax cuneifolius Dendropanax elongatus Dendropanax filipes Dendropanax grandiflorus Dendropanax grandis Dendropanax laurifolius Dendropanax nervosus Dendropanax nutans Dendropanax oblanceatus Dendropanax pendulus Dendropanax portlandianus Dendropanax selleanus Dendropanax swartzii Didymopanax Didymopanax morototoni – Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Leeward Islands, and Trinidad. Introduced to Windward Islands Frodinia Frodinia gleasonii – Puerto Rico Frodinia tremula – Hispaniola Oreopanax Oreopanax capitatus Oreopanax dussii Oreopanax ramosissimus Sciodaphyllum Sciodaphyllum attenuatum – Leeward Islands and Windward Islands Sciodaphyllum glabratum – Trinidad Sciodaphyllum brownei – Jamaica Sciodaphyllum troyanum – Jamaica Sciodaphyllum urbanianum – Martinique
Bignoniaceae Catalpa longissima Crescentia Crescentia cujete (Calabash) Crescentia portoricensis Tabebuia Tabebuia heterophylla Tabebuia rosea Tecoma stans
Bombacaceae Ceiba pentandra (kapok tree) Ochroma pyramidale
Boraginaceae Bourreria succulenta Cordia Cordia alliodora Cordia sulcata Rochefortia acanthophora
Burseraceae
Dacryodes excelsa (Tabonuco) Bursera simaruba
Buxaceae Buxus Buxus aneura Buxus brevipes Buxus crassifolia Buxus ekmanii Buxus excisa Buxus heterophylla Buxus imbricata Buxus muelleriana Buxus olivacea Buxus pilosula Buxus portoricensis Buxus rheedioides Buxus vahlii
Canellaceae Canella winteriana
Cannabaceae Celtis trinervia - Hispaniola
Capparidaceae Capparis Capparis baducca Capparis cynophallophora Capparis flexuosa Capparis hastata Capparis indica
Celastraceae Cassine xylocarpa Gyminda latifolia Maytenus Maytenus monticola Maytenus reflex Schaefferia frutescens
Clusiaceae Calophyllum Calophyllum calaba Calophyllum lucidum Clusia Clusia aripoensis Clusia intertexta Clusia minor Clusia rosea Clusia tocuchensis Mammea americana
Combretaceae
Buchenavia tetraphylla Bucida buceras Conocarpus erectus (Buttonwood) Laguncularia racemosa Terminalia amazonia
Cupressaceae Juniperus barbadensis Juniperus gracilior Juniperus saxicola
Cyrillaceae
Cyrilla racemiflora
Dilleniaceae Curatella americana
Elaeocarpaceae Muntingia calabura Sloanea berteroana Sloanea caribaea
Erythroxylaceae Erythroxylum Erythroxylum areolatum Erythroxylum brevipes Erythroxylum rotundifolium Erythroxylum urbanii
Euphorbiaceae Adelia rincinella Alchornea latifolia Bernardia dichotoma Fluggea acidoton Gymnanthes lucida Hura crepitans Jatropha hernandiifolia Picrodendron baccatum Savia sessiliflora
Fabaceae
Andira inermis Caesalpinia coriaria Enterolobium cyclocarpum Hymenaea courbaril Inga Inga fagifolia Inga vera Mora excelsa Ormosia krugii Pictetia aculeata Piscidia carthagenensis Pithecellobium unguis-cati Pterocarpus officinalis
Flacourtiaceae Samyda dodecandra Xylosoma buxifolia
Garryaceae Garrya fadyenii
Hernandiaceae Hernandia sonora
Juglandaceae Juglans jamaicensis
Lecythidaceae Eschweilera subglandulosa
Malpighiaceae Byrsonima Byrsonima crassifolia Byrsonima spicata
Malvaceae
Hibiscus elatus (blue mahoe) Hildegardia cubensis Thespesia grandiflora
Magnoliaceae Magnolia Magnolia cristalensis WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia cubensis WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia dealbata WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia domingensis WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia ekmanii WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia emarginata WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia hamorii WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia minor WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia pallescens WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia portoricensis WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Magnolia splendens WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.
Meliaceae
Carapa Carapa guianensis Cedrela odorata Guarea Guarea guidonia Swietenia mahagoni (West Indian Mahogany) Trichilia Trichilia hirta Trichilia triacantha
Moraceae Cecropia Cecropia peltata Cecropia schreberiana Ficus Ficus americana Ficus aurea Ficus citrifolia Ficus maxima Maclura tinctoria
Myrtaceae Eugenia Eugenia axillaris Eugenia biflora Eugenia cruegeri Eugenia foetida Eugenia lingustrina Eugenia monticola Eugenia procera Eugenia rhombea Eugenia woodburyana Eugenia xerophytica Myrciaria floribunda Psidium Psidium amplexicaule Psidium guajava (Guava)
Nyctaginaceae Guapira fragrans Neea buxifolia Pisonia Pisonia aculeata Pisonia albida Pisonia subcordata
Oleaceae Forestiera segregata Ximenia americana
Pinaceae
Pinus Pinus caribaea Pinus cubensis Pinus occidentalis Pinus tropicalis
Podocarpaceae Podocarpus Podocarpus angustifolius Podocarpus aristulatus Podocarpus coriaceus Podocarpus ekmanii Podocarpus hispaniolensis Podocarpus purdieanus Podocarpus trinitensis Podocarpus urbanii Podocarpus victorinianus
Polygonaceae
Coccoloba Coccoloba diversifolia Coccoloba krugii Coccoloba microstachya Coccoloba swartzii Coccoloba uvifera (Sea grape)
Rhamnaceae Colubrina Colubrina arborescens Colubrina elliptica Reynosia Reynosia guama Reynosia uncinata Krugiodendron ferreum Ziziphus reticulata
Rhizophoraceae
Rhizophora mangle
Rosaceae Prunus occidentalis
Rubiaceae Antirhea Antirhea acutata Antirhea lucida Erithalis fruticosa Exostema caribaeum Genipa americana Guettarda Guettarda elliptica Guettarda krugii Guettarda odorata Randia Randia aculeata Randia portoricensis Rondelita inermis
Rutaceae
Amyris Amyris balsamifera Amyris elemifera Zanthoxylum Zanthoxylum flavum Zanthoxylum martinicense Zanthoxylum monophyllum Zanthoxylum spinifex Zanthoxylum thomasianum
Sapindaceae Cupania americana Melicoccus bijugatus Thouinia striata
Sapotaceae Chrysophyllum Chrysophyllum argenteum Chrysophyllum cainito Chrysophyllum oliviforme Chrysophyllum pauciflorum Manilkara Manilkara bidentata Manilkara excisa Manilkara gonavensis Manilkara jaimiqui Manilkara mayarensis Manilkara pleeana Manilkara sideroxylon Manilkara valenzuelana Micropholis Micropholis chrysophylloides Pouteria Pouteria multiflora Pouteria sapota–Mamey sapote Pradosia Sideroxylon Sideroxylon obovatum Sideroxylon salicifolium
Sterculiaceae Guazuma ulmifolia
Theophrastaceae Jacquinia Jacquinia armillaris Jacquinia berteroi Jacquinia umbellata
Verbenaceae Citharexylum fruticosa Petitia domingensis
Zamiaceae Zamia Zamia amblyphyllidia Zamia portoricensis Zamia pumila (Coontie)
Zygophyllaceae Guaiacum Guaiacum officinale (Lignum vitae) Guaiacum sanctum
Non-native species
Anacardiaceae
Mango (Mangifera indica)
Arecaceae Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
Bignoniaceae Jacaranda (Jacaranda spp.)
Casuarinaceae Casuarina equisetifolia
Combretaceae Indian almond (Terminalia catappa)
Fabaceae
Samaan tree (Albizia saman) Flamboyant (Delonix regia) Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)
Moraceae Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) Ficus benjamina
Sapindaceae Ackee (Blighia sapida)
Sapotaceae Manilkara zapota
Verbenaceae
Teak (Tectona grandis)
References