Galapagos Plantlife

The Galapagos Islands lie in the Pacific Dry Belt, so most of the archipelago's land area is covered by semi-desert or desert vegetation. Only the higher parts of the larger Islands receive enough rain to be considered tropical and lush. There are roughly 600 native taxa (species, subspecies and varieties) of vascular plants (42% are endemic) and some 190 species introduced by humans. It is easier to identify most plant species and also makes it easier to understand evolutionary relationships because the flora is so species poor. Here we list the more common and better known plant species, grouped together according to ecological zones.

LITTORAL (COASTAL) ZONE

Mangroves (Red, Black, White, Button)
lpomoea Beach Morning Glory Crypocarpus
Salt Bush
Sesuvium

THE HUMID ZONES: SCALESIA ZONE

Scalesia peclundulata
Peperomia
Tillandsia (bromeliad)
Bracken (ferns)

ARID ZONE

Candelabra Cactus
Lava Cactus
Prickley Pear Cactus * Opuntia
Cutleaf Dasy Leocorpus
Lantana Leather Leaf Maytenus
Manzanillo (poison apple)
Mollugo Cordia Lutea
Palo Verde Porkinsonia
Tiquilia

TRANSITION ZONE

Palo Santo (Burseracece)
Pega-Pega Guyabilio *
Matazarno

* Endemic species

ZANTHOSYLUM (BROWN) ZONE

Mostly mosses, liverworts and ferns

THE MICONIA ZONE

Miconia shrub

PAMPA ZONE

Ferns, grasses and sedges
Tree fern - Cyathea