Floristic Study of Morne La Visite and Pic Macaya National Parks, Haiti

Abstract

A floristic and vegetational survey of two recently established national parks in the poorly known mountains of southern Haiti, i.e. Parc National Pic Macaya (in the Massif de La Hotte) and Parc National Morne La Visite (in the Massif de La Selle), clearly documents the rich and highly endemic nature of the tracheophyte (especially angiosperm) flora of the parks, and confirms E.L. Ekman's early reports of the region's flora. This study resulted in the recollection of most of the region's described endemic species, along with the discovery of several new angiosperms, i.e. Wallenia formonensis, Ilex blancheana, Micropholis polita subsp. hotteana, Mecranium revolutum, Meriania parvifolia, M. brevipedunculata, Miconia macayana, Ossaea woodsii, Lobelia hotteana, Salvia sp., Rhytidophyllum sp., Pilea sp., and Ditta sp. One new combination, Garcinia barkeriana, is made. A total of 470 species of tracheophytes (including 367 angiosperms, but excluding orchids), 99 mosses, and 63 liverworts was collected in Parc National Pic Macaya, and of these, 136 vascular plants (ca 29%) are endemic to Hispaniola. The vegetation of the park may be divided into two major types. A very diverse wet forest on limestone occurs from ca 800 to 1250 m alt. At higher elevations this forest is replaced by a complex mosaic of pine forest and cloud forest, both of which contain many local endemics. A total of 325 species of tracheophytes (including 262 angiosperms, but excluding orchids), 76 mosses, and 19 liverworts was collected in Parc National Morne La Visite, and of these, 112 vascular plants (ca 34%) are endemic to Hispaniola. The plant communities occurring in the La Visite region may be placed in two general categories: pine forest and cloud forest. The former occupies the bowl-shaped plateau of the Massif de La Selle while the latter occurs on the steep more or less north facing slopes along the edge of the plateau and in the major ravines dissecting it. The forests of both parks are being despoiled by cutting and burning by the local inhabitants. Protection of the forested localities remaining in the parks is mandatory to preserve the region's many endemic species and natural beauty.