VEGETACIÓN Y FLORA DE UNA ZONA SEMIÁRIDA DE LA CUENCA ALTA DEL RÍO TEHUANTEPEC, OAXACA, MÉXICO

Abstract

A floristic study of a semi-arid zone of the
upper Tehuantepec river basin of the state
of Oaxaca, Mexico, is presented. This is a
zone of tropical deciduous forests, patches
of xerophytic scrubland at low altitudes and,
of lesser extent toward the mountains, oak
and oak-pine woodlands. The flora studied
consists of 449 vascular plant species. This
diversity represents 272 genera in 89 families. Only nine families represent 52.8% of
the species, the most prominent being
Leguminosae, Compositae and Cactaceae.
Fourteen species (3.12%) are seemingly endemic to the zone. Five species are protected
by Mexican laws (NOM-059-ECOL-2001),
and three others ought to be studied to
learn whether they deserve protective status as several authors have proposed.