ISHS Acta Horticulturae 360: I International Symposium on Ornamental Palms
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF PALMS |
| Author: | H. Fernandes |
| Keywords: | Arecaceae, origin, dispersion, Brazilian palms |
| Abstract:
The actual geographic distribution of the Arecaceae may have been strongly influenced by the separation of the old Laurasia and Gondwana continents and their subsequent continental drift. The high degree of endemism in all taxonomic levels has shown very restrict distributions. Palms are found in humid areas in the tropics and sub-tropics. In deserts they occur only in places where the water table is close to the surface. Only a few species occur in temperate regions. Among the Neotropical countries, Brazil has the greatest specific diversity for this family, counting about 387 species. In generic terms, Colombia is the first in the rank with 41 genera. The distribution patterns related to five great regions of palm occurrence are discussed. | |
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