Atwood 1984 (Article) Nicaragua

A Floristic Study Of Volcan Mombacho Department Of Granada, Nicaragua

Author(s):—J.T. Atwood

Publication:—Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 71: 191-209.. (1984)

Abstract:—Volcan Mombacho is a moderate sized (1,345 m elev.), quiescent volcano with one of two cloud forests in southwestern Nicaragua. Of 457 species listed, 80 are pteridophytes and 87 are orchids. The species richness of these groups may be accounted for by their high fecundity and dispersibility. This study has revealed only one endemic species. Since Mombacho is the apparent northern range limit of several orchid species, it is suggested that the flora of the cloud forest has most of its affinities with Costa Rica. The lack of several wide ranging species on Mombacho which are known only as far south as northern Nicaragua further supports this contention. As with most of tropical America, the cloud forests of Mombacho are threatened by exploitation of their natural resources.