Assessment of vascular plant diversity and endemism in Venezuela

A floristic update of Venezuelan vascular plants is proposed and includes 15 820 species, 2481 genera, and 275 families as native to the country. The total Species number will probably increase to ca. 16 500 species when additional floristic inventories are completed. There are 2964 known endemic species of vascular plants in Venezuela, constituting 18.7 % of the species in the flora. The highest vascular plant species diversity is centered in the Guayana region, followed by the Andes and the Coastal Cordillera. The extensive savanna region of he Llanos has the least number of endemic taxa. The coverage of floristic inventories is lowest in the Andes and Coastal Cordillera regions. The main causes determining Current patterns of regional vascular plant richness and endemism in the country are geological, climatics, and historical.