Diagnosis of biodiversity knowledge of vascular plants in protected areas of São Paulo state

Abstract

Based on published data about occurrence of vascular plant species of São Paulo state, we analyzed the role of several protected areas (UCs) in the protection of these species, especially considering endemic or threatened ones. Of 648 ferns and lycophytes in the state, 71% occur in protected areas, 10 are endemics to São Paulo and 30 are threatened. Just under half of the threatened species of ferns and lycophytes were not registered in UCs, and three of these are endemic to the state. For seed plants, of 8,521 species recorded, 48% occur in UCs, 361 are endemics to the state and 676 are threatened. However, 65% of the threatened species are unprotected, and 51 of those are endemic to the state, most of them native to Atlantic Forest. Several UCs still have large lack of knowledge about their flora, of collection effort of botanical material and of record in herbaria, with particular emphasis on Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs). Our data reinforce the need for expansion of botanical collections in UCs, as well as the creation of new areas in the state, in order to protect threatened and endemic species of São Paulo flora.