Guatemala has the highest diversity of the Asclepiadaceae in Central America — a total of 105 native species. CCSD’s Analysis Unit conducted an exhaustive study of all collections of Asclepiadaceae known from Guatemala to evaluate the family’s diversity and conservation status in the country. The purpose of this project was to prioritize species for conservation based on the degree of threat they face and to assess them using the IUCN criteria. As a result, 20 species were determined to be Critically Endangered (CR); 26, Endangered (EN); and the remaining 16, Data Deficient (DD). The project also modeled the potential distribution of 62 species to find the centers of diversity of Asclepiadaceae and provide recommendations for the conservation of the family in Guatemala.

Potential distribution of the 62 most threatened species of Asclepiadaceae of Guatemala

For more information, contact
Olga Martha Montiel
W.D. Stevens