WOODY AND SEMI-WOODY PLANTS, WILD AND NATIVE TO DRY AND SEMI-HUMID FORESTS FROM THE ÁREA DE PROTECCIÓN DE FLORA Y FAUNA MESETA DE CACAXTLA, SINALOA, MÉXICO

Abstract

Background. Plant catalogues are basic to propose and manage natural protected areas. Through those censuses plans and conservation strategies are developed, plus comparisons can be made over time. Updated floristic listings are urgent in tropical forests due to the threats to their biodiversity. Objective. Present a structured listing by family, genus and species, which quantifies the hierarchical relations of genera-species and family-genera while arranging life-forms and including species with endangered status recorded in national (NOM-059 SEMARNAT 2010) and international (Red list, UICN) legislation of woody and semi-woody plants from dry and semi-humid forest from the Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Meseta de Cacaxtla, Sinaloa, México (APFFMC). Methodology. Published studies about the site were reviewed, selecting the indigenous species with secondary growth, excluding the invasive, naturalized, cultivated, ornamental ones, collating different online sites, specialized bibliography and consulting specialists. Regarding the nomenclature different sources and databases were employed. Through field trips, the presence of taxa was corroborated and new registers were included. The listing was sorted alphabetically. Results. 60 families, 223 genera and 389 species were recorded. Fabaceae was the family with the highest taxa richness, with 44 genera and 75 species, followed by Malvaceae (19/31), Euphorbiaceae (12/34), Asteraceae (10/17), Cactaceae (9/21) and Apocynaceae (8/10). A low number of 13 genera and 12 families gathered five or more species and genera respectively. On the other hand, a high quantity of 210 genera and 48 families presented four or less taxa. The most diverse genera were Croton (12 species), Bursera (8), Solanum (7), Ficus and Randia (6); Opuntia, Merremia, Euphorbia, Lonchocarpus, Mimosa, Senna, Jatropha and Sideroxylon (5). The tree category grouped 146 species, followed by shrub (114), sub-shrub (54), vine (51), succulent and semi-succulent (21) and parasitic (3). According to the NOM 059 SEMARNAT-2010 endangered species list, five species were included in the Amenazadas (A) category and two Sujetas a protección especial (Pr). The red list (UICN) comprehended 173 species for the Natural Protected Area (ANP). In the Least concern category (LC) 155 taxa were counted, Near threatened (NT) with four, Vulnerable (V) seven and Endangered (EN) again seven. Implications. A renewed listing of alien, native, woody and semi-woody species from dry and semi-humid forests of the APFFMC, is crucial for its contribution to a proper management and decision taking in the ANP. 94 taxa names were updated. At family level, the inclusion of Sterculiaceae into Malvaceae was the most significant change. Conclusions. The taxonomic richness concentrated inside the APFFMC, whose surface is inferior to 1% of the state, oscillates between 10.41 and 13.93% of the species; 19.95 and 22.80 % of the genera and 29.70 and 30% of the families reported in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico.