FLORA

* Endemic species

The islands lie in the Pacific Dry Belt, so most of the archipelago's land area is covered by semi-desert or desert vegetation. Only the higher parts of the larger Islands receive enough rain to be considered tropical and lush. There are roughly 600 native taxa (species, subspecies and varieties) of vascular plants (42% are endemic) and some 190 species introduced by humans. Most plant species are easily identified and evolutionary relationships are better understood because the flora is species poor. Here we list the more common and better known plant species, grouped together according to ecological zones.

• Littoral zone:
  Mangrove (Red, Black, White, Button)
  Ipomoea Beach Morning Glory Crypocarpus
  Salt Bush
  Sesuvium
• Humid zone:

• Arid zone:
  Candelabra Cactus
  Lava Cactus
  Prickley Pear Cactus * (Opuntia species)
  Cutleaf Dasy Leocorpus
  Lantana Leather Leaf Maytenus
  Manzanillo (poison apple)
  Mollugo Cordia Lutea
  Palo Verde Porkinsonia
  Tiquilia
• Transition zone:
  Palo Santo (Burseracece)
  Pega-Pega Guyabilio *
  Matasarno
• Brown zone:
  Mostly mosses, liverworts and ferns
• Miconia zone:
  Miconia shrub
• Pampa zone:
  Ferns, grasses and sedges
  Tree fern - Cyathea