Abstract.-We have studied the geological history of Central America, particularly the Caribbean, in order to discover the impact of other areas on the islands in the Caribbean Sea. The study of the distribution of 675 Melastomataceae species led us to establish the biogeographical ranks of Subregion, Superprovince, Province and Subprovince. We also suggest a biogeographical typology for the Caribbean Islands. In order to discover the relationships between the 16 territories under study, we collected the endemic Melastomataceae taxa occurring in each of them and applied the Jaccard index. Finally, we establish the Caribbean Subregion, with the Western Antilles Superprovince, which in turn includes the Provinces of Florida and Cuba. In this latter, we define two subprovinces, Cuba and Jamaica. The Central-Eastern Antilles Superprovince includes the provinces of Eastern Antilles and Hispaniola. The research involved the implementation of a floristic and distributional study of the Melastomataceae endemic taxa of the Caribbean Islands, particularly on Hispaniola; for this latter, finally the study revealed the existence of two large areas, one siliceous and another of a carbonated character.
Abstract.-.-This paper, which deals with the geological history of Hispaniola in the general framework of Central America and particularly the Caribbean Sea, aims at revealing the influence of it on other areas. The paper studies the distribution of 675 species of Melastomataceae family, a family which has been used to establish the biogeographical ranges of Superprovince and biogeographical Province. The research also carried out a floristic and distributional study of 1.582 endemic species on Hispaniola. Nineteen working areas were defined and plant samples were taken in most of them following the Central European phytosociological method. With these datas, we plotted a map with the biogeographical Subprovinces and another one with the Sectors. The Superprovinces of Western Antilles, Central-Eastern Antilles have been established. This latter includes the Provinces of Eastern Antilles and Hispaniola. We propose a comprehensive biogeographical typology of the island. Due to its high endemicity and the great diversity of its habitats is moved to a upper range called biogeographical Province encompassing two Subprovinces: Central (one Sector) and Caribbean-Atlantic (Bahoruco-Hottense, Neiba-Metheux-Noroeste, Azua -San Juan -Hoya Henriquillo -Puerto Príncipe -Artiobonite -Gonaives, CaribbeanCibense and North).
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