A phytogeographic analysis of Araceae of Cabo Corrientes (Chocó, Colombia) and comparable lowland tropical American floras

We studied the Araceae of the Cabo Corrientes region on the Pacific Coast of Colombia and compared its aroid flora with those of La Selva (Costa Rica), Barro Colorado Island (Panama), Bajo Calima (Colombia), Río Palenque (Ecuador), and Iquitos (Peru). We found 114 native species in 14 genera at Cabo Corrientes; the largest genera were Anthurium (38 species), and Philodendron (36), which together accounted for 65% of the species. Seventy-four percent of the species were exclusively epiphytic or hemiepiphytic. Most of the epiphytic species belonged to the genera Anthurium, Philodendron, Rhodospatha, Syngonium, Monstera, and Stenospermation, the latter three containing exclusively epiphytic or hemiepiphytic species. The flora of Araceae of Cabo Corrientes was most similar to that of La Selva, Barro Colorado Island, and Bajo Calima; similarity with Río Palenque was low. Our findings support Lellinger's view that the Chocó biogeographic region extends to the Nicaragua-Costa Rica border and is divided into a northern and a southern flora.