Introduced plants to Guatemala, Central America

Resumen

In Central America biological invasions have been minimally studied but deserve recognition for their impact on both the ecosystems and economy of many countries. We collected information regarding the non-native plants present in Guatemala via analysis of previous publications, examination of herbarium specimens, visits to nurseries, and interviews with personnel of the Municipality of Guatemala. We collected information on the taxonomy, use, origin, and growth habits of the introduced plants. Of the 614 non-native plant species present, 43 % were naturalized 39 % cultivated, and the remaining species were casual. Seventeen invasive species exist in the country. The majority of non-native plants (84 %) are utilized for ornamental purposes and the most common growth habit is herbaceous. The majority of the plants introduced originate from Europe, Temperate Asia, Africa and South America. The most common naturalized plant families are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Crassulaceae and Asteraceae. The most common cultivated plant families are Arecaceae, Apocynaceae, Asparagaceae, Zingiberaceae and Asteraceae. More human and financial resources should be dedicated to the study of non-native plants due to their unknown potential ecological and economic impacts. Environmental education should play an important role in increasing the knowledge and detection of non-native plants, especially invasive species.

 Citation: MacVean, A. L. & Zinn, H. Introduced plants to Guatemala, Central America. (2025). Revista Jard. Bot. Nac. Univ. Habana 46 (Número especial 1): 38.

Trabajo presentado en el XIII Congreso Latinoamericano de Botánica. Simposio Gestión y desafíos de las especies invasoras en Latinoamérica y el Caribe.