Flora de la costa de Oaxaca, México: Lista florística de la región de Zimatán

The Zimatan region of Oaxaca is characterized by the occurrence of several vegetation types and a large floristic diversity, primarily due to the large elevational range that it encompasses (from sea level to 2,580 m). In 1991 this region was proposed as a high-priority area for conservation in Oaxaca State, largely due to its extensive, well-preserved tracts of tropical dry forest. Nonetheless, little biological information is available for this area. In 1997 we initiated a series of studies aimed at supporting the conservation of the Zimatan region. Here we present floristic data based on 8,063 original botanical collections. The list includes 1,384 vascular plant species, distributed among 668 genera and 144 families. These collections make of the Zimatan region one of the most comprehensively collected areas and most diverse on the Mexican Pacific coast, along with the Chamela Biological Station in Jalisco State.