Flora and vegetation of Belize
Encyclopedia
The flora of Belize is highly diverse by regional standards, given the country's small geographical extent. Situated on the Caribbean coast of northern Central America the flora and vegetation have been intimately intertwined with Belize's history. The nation itself grew out of British timber extraction activities from the 17th century onwards, at first for logwood
(Haematoxylum campechianum) and later for mahogany
(Swietenia macrophylla
), fondly called "red gold" because of its high cost and was much sought after by European aristocracy. Central America generally is thought to have gained much of it characteristic flora during the "Great American interchange" during which time South American elements migrated north after the geological closure of the isthmus of Panama. However, few Amazonian elements penetrate as far north as Belize and in species composition the forests of Belize
are most similar to the forests of the Peten (Guatemala) and the Yucatán (Mexico).
sector. National Parks System Act of 1981 declared numerous protected areas, and the Belizean Government has been working with a prominent non-governmental organization (NGO), the Belize Audubon Society (BAS) to promote nature conservation within the country. Founded in 1969, the BAS assists the Forest Department of the Government of Belize to manage several important forest areas including:
In addition to the above there are numerous other important forest reserves such as:
There are numerous conservation challenges in Belize. One is the extensive recent illegal cutting of the understorey palms, xate (Chamaedorea spp). This has a severe effect on the health and reproduction of these characteristic understorey components.
study conducted by the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC) and NASA, in collaboration with the Forest Department and the Land Information Centre (LIC) of the Government of Belize's Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE), and published in August 2010 revealed that Belize's forest cover in early 2010 was approximately 62.7%, down from 75.9% in late 1980. A similar study by Belize Tropical Forest Studies and Conservation International revealed similar trends in terms of Belize's forest cover. Both studies indicate that each year, 0.6% of Belize's forest cover is lost, translating to the clearing of an average of 24,835 acres (9,982 hectares) each year. The USAID-supported SERVIR study by CATHALAC, NASA, and the MNRE also showed that Belize's protected areas have been extremely effective in protecting the country's forests. While only some 6.4% of forests inside of legally declared protected areas were cleared between 1980 and 2010, over a quarter of forests outside of protected areas had been lost between 1980 and 2010. As a country with a relatively high forest cover and a low deforestation rate, Belize has significant potential for participation in initiatives such as REDD
.
to be one of Belize's various forest
classes, it is important to point out that in Belize, mangroves assume the form of not only forest
(dominated by closed formations of mangroves of over 3m tall) but also scrub (dominated by formations of dwarf mangroves below 3m in height), and savanna
(areas with scattered mangroves). Because of their importance for shoreline protection and maintenance of fisheries stocks, Belize's mangroves are legally protected under the Forests Act of the Laws of Belize. A recent study by the World Resources Institute (WRI) indicates, in fact, that Belize's mangrove ecosystems contribute US $174–249 million per year to the national economy. Clearing of mangroves for development of coastal infrastructure has nonetheless been recognized as a threat to Belize's mangroves and led to public perception that destruction of mangrove ecosystems was rampant, such as an investigative study in 2008 which indicated unauthorized clearings within the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, and which eventually led to the Belize Barrier Reef System's designation by UNESCO
as an endangered World Heritage Site
.
With uncertainty regarding actual rates of clearing of Belize's mangrove ecosystems, a recent study funded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has clarified the situation, making use of Landsat satellite imagery
to comprehensively examine Belize's mangrove cover. That study, which spanned the thirty years from 1980–2010 and was based on the earlier work of mangrove researcher Simon Zisman, was conducted by the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC) and found that in 2010, mangroves covered some 184,548 acres (74,684 hectares) or 3.4% of Belize's territory. By contrast, it is estimated that in 1980 mangrove cover stood at 188,417 acres (76,250 hectares) - also 3.4% of Belize's territory. Based on Zisman, it is also estimated that Belize's mangrove cover in 1980 represented 98.7% of the pre-colonial extent of those ecosystems. Belize's mangrove cover in 2010 was thus estimated to represent 96.7% of the pre-colonial cover. Where the 2010 update of the World Mangrove Atlas also indicated that a fifth of the world's mangrove ecosystems have been lost since 1980, the case of Belize's mangroves thus stands in stark contrast to the global picture. Belize's relative mangrove cover in fact declined by a mere 2% from 1980–2010, and in that period, under 4,000 acres of mangroves had been cleared, although clearing of mangroves near Belize's main coastal settlements (e.g. Belize City
and San Pedro) was relatively high. The rate of loss of Belize's mangroves - at 0.07% per year between 1980 and 2010 - was much lower than Belize's overall rate of forest clearing (0.6% per year between 1980 and 2010).
) two other important Belizean timber trees of note are the Santa Maria (Calophyllum antillanum
) and cedar (Cedrela mexicana
). Other economically important trees include cotton tree or kapok
(Ceiba pentandra), and cacao (Theobroma cacao). Both were sacred to the Maya
people. Chicle
(Manilkara chicle) is the original chewing gum (made from its gummy sap).
, the so called "black orchid". This is the national flower of Belize.
including the palmettos of the savanna, silver palmetto (Schippia concolor), palmetto (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii) and the common coconut palm (Cocos nucifera
) found in coastal areas. Other important palms include the cohune palms, cohune (Attalea cohune
) and warree cohune (Astrocaryum mexicanum
), as well as the give and take palm (Chrysophila argentea), xate
palms (Chamaedorea elegans
and Chamaedorea oblongata
), pokenoboy (Bactris major
), basket tie-tie (Desmoncus schippii
) and royal palm (Roystonea oleracea
).
Logwood
Haematoxylum campechianum is a species of flowering tree in the legume family, Fabaceae, that is native to southern Mexico and northern Central America. It has been and to a lesser extent remains of great economic importance. The modern nation of Belize grew from 17th century English logwood...
(Haematoxylum campechianum) and later for mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
(Swietenia macrophylla
Swietenia
Swietenia is a genus of trees in the chinaberry family, Meliaceae. It occurs natively in the Neotropics, from southern Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America south to Bolivia...
), fondly called "red gold" because of its high cost and was much sought after by European aristocracy. Central America generally is thought to have gained much of it characteristic flora during the "Great American interchange" during which time South American elements migrated north after the geological closure of the isthmus of Panama. However, few Amazonian elements penetrate as far north as Belize and in species composition the forests of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
are most similar to the forests of the Peten (Guatemala) and the Yucatán (Mexico).
Vegetation types
The vegetation of Belize was first systematically surveyed in the 1930s. Recent mapping projects have employed the following principal terrestrial and coastal categories of native vegetation:- lowland broad-leaved forest. This is a diverse forest type in Belize, now greatly reduced in extent by clearance for agricultural land. It includes such tropical tree species as Simarouba glaucaSimarouba glaucaSimarouba glauca is a species of flowering tree that is native to Florida in the United States, southern Mexico, Central America, and the Greater Antilles. Common names include Paradise Tree, Aceituno, and Bitterwood. Its seeds produce an edible oil. The tree is well suited for warm, humid,...
, Calophyllum brasilienseCalophyllumCalophyllum is a flowering plant genus of around 180-200 species of tropical evergreen trees in the family Calophyllaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek words καλος , meaning "beautiful", and φυλλον , meaning "leaf." Its members are native to Australasia, Madagascar, Eastern Africa,...
, Terminalia amazonia and Pterocarpus officinalisPterocarpusPterocarpus is a pantropical genus of trees in the family Fabaceae, most of which yield valuable timber traded as padauk ; other common names are mukwa or narra...
.
- lowland savanna. This is an important vegetation type in northern Belize, in which scattered trees occur in "short grass" (actually mainly sedges). Savanna is maintained as open vegetation by a combination of wet-season flooding, dry-season drought and fire. Typical trees include: Acoelorraphe wrightii, Quercus oleoides and madre de cacao Gliricidia sepiumGliricidia sepiumGliricidia sepium, often simply referred to as Gliricidia , is a medium size leguminous tree belonging to the family Fabaceae...
. - lowland pine forest or pine savanna (open forest mainly composed of Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis with shrubs such as the rough-leaved "sandpaper tree" (Curatella americana).
- submontane pine forest (with Pinus ayacahuite, Pinus oocarpaPinus oocarpaPinus oocarpa is a species of pine tree native to Mexico and Central America. It is the national tree of Honduras, where it is known as Ocote. Common names include Pino Amarillo, Pino Avellano, Mexican Yellow Pine, and Hazelnut Pine...
and Pinus rudis together with some broadleaved species) - submontane broadleaved forest. Characteristic vegetation of the Maya Mountain massif above 500m. Typical species include Podocarpus guatemalensisPodocarpusPodocarpus is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family Podocarpaceae. The 105 species of Podocarpus are evergreen shrubs or trees from 1-25 m in height...
, Swietenia macrophyllaSwieteniaSwietenia is a genus of trees in the chinaberry family, Meliaceae. It occurs natively in the Neotropics, from southern Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America south to Bolivia...
, Terminalia amazonia, Virola brachycarpaVirolaVirola, also known as Epená, Patricá, or Cumala, is a genus of medium-sized trees native to the South American rainforest and closely related to other Myristicaceae, such as nutmeg...
, and the palm Astrocaryum mexicanumAstrocaryumAstrocaryum is a genus of about 36 to 40 species of palms native to Central and South America and Trinidad.-Description:Astrocaryum is a genus of spiny palms with pinnately compound leaves–rows of leaflets emerge on either side of the axis of the leaf in a feather-like or fern-like pattern. Some...
. - mangrove and littoral forest. Ecologically important vegetation type of the coastal cayes. Several species of mangrove are involved including: red mangrove (Rhizophora mangleRhizophora mangleRhizophora mangle, known as the red mangrove, is distributed in estuarine ecosystems throughout the tropics. Its viviparous "seeds," in actuality called propagules, become fully mature plants before dropping off the parent tree...
), black mangrove (Avicennia germinansAvicennia germinansAvicennia germinans, commonly known as the black mangrove, is a species of flowering plant in the acanthus family, Acanthaceae.A. germinans grows in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, on both Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and on the Atlantic coast of tropical Africa, where it thrives...
) and white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosaLaguncularia racemosaLaguncularia racemosa is a species of flowering plant in the leadwood tree family, Combretaceae...
). In addition the buttonwoodConocarpusConocarpus is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the family Combretaceae, native to tropical regions of the world. One of the species is a widespread mangrove species, the other is restricted to a small area around the southern Red Sea coasts, where it grows alongside seasonal...
(Conocarpus erectus) although not a true mangrove is often associated with mangroves in littoral forest. Also see the section on mangroves below. - seagrass beds. Sandy bays often have extensive mats of seagrassSeagrassSeagrasses are flowering plants from one of four plant families , all in the order Alismatales , which grow in marine, fully saline environments.-Ecology:...
. There are several different types in Belize: turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum in the HydrocharitaceaeHydrocharitaceaeHydrocharitaceae is a flowering plant family that includes a number of species of aquatic plant, broadly called the Tape-grasses, and includes the well known Canadian Waterweed and Frog's Bit.The family includes both fresh and marine aquatics...
), manatee seagrass (Syringodium filiforme in the Cymodoceaceae), duckweed seagrasses (HaloduleHaloduleHalodule is a genus of plants in the family Cymodoceaceae. It includes six to ten species of sea grass distributed in warm oceans.-External links:***...
spp in the Cymodoceaceae). - riparian shrubland. This is a mixed vegetation type, of shrubs and small trees with grasses and sedges, found along watercourses. Typical species include Schizolobium parahybumSchizolobiumSchizolobium is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the sub family Caesalpinioideae.-Species:*Schizolobium amazonicum* Schizolobium parahyba S.F. Blake, 1919...
and Ceiba pentandra. Loss of this habitat was one of the particular environmental concerns of building the Chalillo Dam on the MacalMacal RiverThe Macal River is a river running through Cayo District in western Belize. Sites along the river include the ancient Mayan town of Cahal Pech and the Belize Botanic Gardens. The Macal River discharges to the Belize River...
river.
Plant conservation and forest reserves
Although deforestation continues to be a threat to Belize's natural environment - and to the natural environment of almost all countries in Latin Ameroca - much of the native forest remains, facilitating a burgeoning ecotourismEcotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
sector. National Parks System Act of 1981 declared numerous protected areas, and the Belizean Government has been working with a prominent non-governmental organization (NGO), the Belize Audubon Society (BAS) to promote nature conservation within the country. Founded in 1969, the BAS assists the Forest Department of the Government of Belize to manage several important forest areas including:
- Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary - established in 1990 as a result of the studies of the biology of the jaguarJaguarThe jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
by Alan RabinowitzAlan RabinowitzAlan Robert Rabinowitz is an American zoologist, conservationist, and field biologist and the CEO of Panthera, a nonprofit conservation organization devoted to protecting the world's 37 wild cat species...
. Although initially established for jaguar conservation it is very important for plant conservation. - Guanacaste National park - approximately fifty acres of tropical forest reserve in the Cayo District of Belize. The signature tree of the reserve is the Guanacaste (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) of which several giant specimens may be found.
- Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve - a forest reserve of 6750 acres (27 km²), in the Maya MountainsMaya MountainsThe Maya Mountains are a mountain range in Belize and eastern Guatemala. The highest peaks are Doyle's Delight at and Victoria Peak at . The Maya Mountains and associated foothills contain a number of important Mayan ruins including the sites of Lubaantun, Nim Li Punit, Cahal Pech, and Chaa Creek;...
with rugged (karstKARSTKilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
) relief and relatively undisturbed subtropical moist forest.
In addition to the above there are numerous other important forest reserves such as:
- Chiquibul Forest Reserve (CFR)
Forests and Deforestation
A remote sensingRemote sensing
Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon, without making physical contact with the object. In modern usage, the term generally refers to the use of aerial sensor technologies to detect and classify objects on Earth by means of propagated signals Remote sensing...
study conducted by the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC) and NASA, in collaboration with the Forest Department and the Land Information Centre (LIC) of the Government of Belize's Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE), and published in August 2010 revealed that Belize's forest cover in early 2010 was approximately 62.7%, down from 75.9% in late 1980. A similar study by Belize Tropical Forest Studies and Conservation International revealed similar trends in terms of Belize's forest cover. Both studies indicate that each year, 0.6% of Belize's forest cover is lost, translating to the clearing of an average of 24,835 acres (9,982 hectares) each year. The USAID-supported SERVIR study by CATHALAC, NASA, and the MNRE also showed that Belize's protected areas have been extremely effective in protecting the country's forests. While only some 6.4% of forests inside of legally declared protected areas were cleared between 1980 and 2010, over a quarter of forests outside of protected areas had been lost between 1980 and 2010. As a country with a relatively high forest cover and a low deforestation rate, Belize has significant potential for participation in initiatives such as REDD
Redd
Redd is a Turkish rock band established in 1996 by tenor opera singer Doğan Duru and guitarist Berke Hatipoğlu under the name Ten. They used to play at bars until they set up their own studio in 2004. Their first album, entitled "50/50", produced by Levent Büyük was published a year later by...
.
Mangroves
While many consider mangroveMangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
to be one of Belize's various forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
classes, it is important to point out that in Belize, mangroves assume the form of not only forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
(dominated by closed formations of mangroves of over 3m tall) but also scrub (dominated by formations of dwarf mangroves below 3m in height), and savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
(areas with scattered mangroves). Because of their importance for shoreline protection and maintenance of fisheries stocks, Belize's mangroves are legally protected under the Forests Act of the Laws of Belize. A recent study by the World Resources Institute (WRI) indicates, in fact, that Belize's mangrove ecosystems contribute US $174–249 million per year to the national economy. Clearing of mangroves for development of coastal infrastructure has nonetheless been recognized as a threat to Belize's mangroves and led to public perception that destruction of mangrove ecosystems was rampant, such as an investigative study in 2008 which indicated unauthorized clearings within the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, and which eventually led to the Belize Barrier Reef System's designation by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as an endangered World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
With uncertainty regarding actual rates of clearing of Belize's mangrove ecosystems, a recent study funded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has clarified the situation, making use of Landsat satellite imagery
Satellite imagery
Satellite imagery consists of photographs of Earth or other planets made by means of artificial satellites.- History :The first images from space were taken on sub-orbital flights. The U.S-launched V-2 flight on October 24, 1946 took one image every 1.5 seconds...
to comprehensively examine Belize's mangrove cover. That study, which spanned the thirty years from 1980–2010 and was based on the earlier work of mangrove researcher Simon Zisman, was conducted by the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC) and found that in 2010, mangroves covered some 184,548 acres (74,684 hectares) or 3.4% of Belize's territory. By contrast, it is estimated that in 1980 mangrove cover stood at 188,417 acres (76,250 hectares) - also 3.4% of Belize's territory. Based on Zisman, it is also estimated that Belize's mangrove cover in 1980 represented 98.7% of the pre-colonial extent of those ecosystems. Belize's mangrove cover in 2010 was thus estimated to represent 96.7% of the pre-colonial cover. Where the 2010 update of the World Mangrove Atlas also indicated that a fifth of the world's mangrove ecosystems have been lost since 1980, the case of Belize's mangroves thus stands in stark contrast to the global picture. Belize's relative mangrove cover in fact declined by a mere 2% from 1980–2010, and in that period, under 4,000 acres of mangroves had been cleared, although clearing of mangroves near Belize's main coastal settlements (e.g. Belize City
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
and San Pedro) was relatively high. The rate of loss of Belize's mangroves - at 0.07% per year between 1980 and 2010 - was much lower than Belize's overall rate of forest clearing (0.6% per year between 1980 and 2010).
Trees
As well as logwood (Haematoxylon campechianum) and mahogany (Swietenia macrophyllaSwietenia
Swietenia is a genus of trees in the chinaberry family, Meliaceae. It occurs natively in the Neotropics, from southern Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America south to Bolivia...
) two other important Belizean timber trees of note are the Santa Maria (Calophyllum antillanum
Calophyllum
Calophyllum is a flowering plant genus of around 180-200 species of tropical evergreen trees in the family Calophyllaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek words καλος , meaning "beautiful", and φυλλον , meaning "leaf." Its members are native to Australasia, Madagascar, Eastern Africa,...
) and cedar (Cedrela mexicana
Cedrela
Cedrela is a genus of seven species in the mahogany family Meliaceae. They are evergreen or dry-season deciduous trees with pinnate leaves, native to the tropical and subtropical New World, from southern Mexico south to northern Argentina. The name is derived from a diminutive form of Cedrus...
). Other economically important trees include cotton tree or kapok
Kapok
Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree of the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae , native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and to tropical west Africa...
(Ceiba pentandra), and cacao (Theobroma cacao). Both were sacred to the Maya
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
people. Chicle
Chicle
Manilkara chicle is a tropical evergreen tree native to Mexico and Central America. The tree ranges from Veracruz in Mexico south to Atlántico in Colombia...
(Manilkara chicle) is the original chewing gum (made from its gummy sap).
Orchids
Belize has a rich array (some 300 species) of native orchids including Encyclia cochleata var. cochleataEncyclia
Encyclia is a genus of orchids. The genus name comes from Greek enkykleomai , referring to the lateral lobes of the lip which encircle the column. The abbreviation in the horticultural trade is E....
, the so called "black orchid". This is the national flower of Belize.
Palms
Belizean vegetation is characterized by numerous species of palmsArecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
including the palmettos of the savanna, silver palmetto (Schippia concolor), palmetto (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii) and the common coconut palm (Cocos nucifera
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
) found in coastal areas. Other important palms include the cohune palms, cohune (Attalea cohune
Attalea cohune
Attalea cohune, commonly known as the cohune palm , is a species of palm tree native to Mexico and Central America....
) and warree cohune (Astrocaryum mexicanum
Astrocaryum
Astrocaryum is a genus of about 36 to 40 species of palms native to Central and South America and Trinidad.-Description:Astrocaryum is a genus of spiny palms with pinnately compound leaves–rows of leaflets emerge on either side of the axis of the leaf in a feather-like or fern-like pattern. Some...
), as well as the give and take palm (Chrysophila argentea), xate
Xate
Xate are the leaves from 3 Chamaedorea species of palm tree ....
palms (Chamaedorea elegans
Chamaedorea
Chamaedorea is a genus of 107 species of palms, native to subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas.. The name is derived from the Greek words χαμαί , meaning "on the ground," and δωρεά , meaning "gift." It refers to the easily reached fruits or the plants' low-growing nature.Chamaedorea...
and Chamaedorea oblongata
Chamaedorea
Chamaedorea is a genus of 107 species of palms, native to subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas.. The name is derived from the Greek words χαμαί , meaning "on the ground," and δωρεά , meaning "gift." It refers to the easily reached fruits or the plants' low-growing nature.Chamaedorea...
), pokenoboy (Bactris major
Bactris
Bactris is a genus of about 240 species in the palm family, Arecaceae, native to Central and South America, and the Caribbean. They are trees growing to 4-20 m tall. The leaves are up to 5 m long, and pinnate with numerous leaflets...
), basket tie-tie (Desmoncus schippii
Desmoncus
Desmoncus is a genus of spiny palms native to the Neotropics. The genus extends from Mexico in the north to Brazil and Bolivia in the south, with two species, D. orthacanthos and D...
) and royal palm (Roystonea oleracea
Roystonea
Roystonea is a genus of eleven species of monoecious palms, native to the Caribbean Islands, and the adjacent coasts of Florida, Central and South America. Commonly known as the royal palms, the genus was named for Roy Stone, a U.S. Army engineer...
).
Further reading
- Forest Cover and Deforestation in Belize: 1980-2010 CATHALAC / NASA / Belize Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment / SERVIR. August 2010.
- Identification of Threatened and Resilient Mangroves in the Belize Barrier Reef System CATHALAC / WWF / NASA / SERVIR. October 2010.