Island Specialists: Shared Flora of the Alta and Baja California Pacific Islands

Abstract

The floristic connection between the mediterranean region of Baja California and the Pacific islands of Alta and Baja California provides insight into the history and origin of the California Floristic Province. We present updated species lists for all California Floristic Province islands and demonstrate the disjunct distributions of 26 taxa between the Baja California and the California Channel Islands. These 26 plant taxa are found among the 16 Pacific islands without occurring on the intervening mainland of Alta California. Separate species lists for each island group (8 California Channel Islands and 8 Baja California Islands) were compiled. These lists were compared to the mainland Cali- fornia flora to identify species that occur on the California Islands and either the Baja California Pacific Islands or the mediterranean region of the Baja California Peninsula, but not the mainland of Alta California. This first compilation of the flora of the Baja California Islands and nomenclatural updates for the Channel Islands provide a platform for future research and conservation planning. RESUMEN.—El