Floristic diversity of the Lagartococha River basin, Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Ecuadorian Amazon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54753/blc.v15i2.2424Keywords:
Cuyabeno, Lagartococha river, Diversity, Taxonomy, FloristicsAbstract
The Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, located in northeastern Ecuador, is home to a diverse range of ecosystems, including rivers, lagoons, grasslands, and forests. This study focuses on the Lagartococha River Basin, aiming to develop a photographic guide of its plant biodiversity for use by indigenous communities, tourists, park rangers, and guides. Fieldwork conducted in March and July 2023 yielded 210 herbarium samples and identified 184 plant species, including new records for Ecuador, such as Actinostachys pennula and Heteropterys orinocensis. Additionally, potentially new species to science were collected, including a Unonopsis species and two distinct Annona species. While this guide highlights the region´s extraordinary biodiversity and potential for botanical discoveries, it is not exhaustive and underscores the need for further comprehensive floristic studies. The findings emphazise the importance of conservation efforts in this ecologically significant area.References
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Copyright (c) 2025 Nicolás Carvajal Taco, Thomas L.P. Couvreur, Kevin S. Burgess, Edison Rea, Andrea Fernández, Renata Barrera, Francisco Tobar, Alix Lozinguez, Álvaro J. Pérez
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