Characterizing biodiversity: taxonomic and biogeographic perspectives on the palm flora of the Philippine Islands
1998
Fernando, E.S.
The taxonomy and biogeography of the palms indigenous to the Philippine Islands is presented to illustrate the scientific characterization of biodiversity. There are four subfamilies, 20 genera, and 139 species thus far described and reported from the islands; over 70 percent of the known species are endemic. Fifteen new species and three new varieties have been discovered during the last decade. Rattans comprise nearly half of the entire palm flora. The palms form important components in most forest formations from sea level in mangrove swamps, up to 2200 m. alt. in upper montane rain forests. The Philippine palm flora has distinct Asiatic and Papuasian elements but it is essentially Sundaic Malesian, with strongest affinity with that of Sulawesi
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