A phytogeographical classification of the North American Pacific coast based on climate, vegetation and a floristic analysis of vascular plants.

摘要: This study was designed to explore floristic variation along the Pacific coast from Cook Inlet, Alaska, southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. Data corresponding 965 phytosociological releves (including 686 vascular plants) obtained by sampling 279 coastal sites were examined. Using an objective classification system (Average Linkage Clustering), floristic data acquired in fieldwork were related macroclimates area. The registered taxa were grouped into phytogeographical elements, giving rise a in which eight provinces distinguished. Floristic differences among were correlated with palaeoclimatic and palaeogeographical events. boreal temperate provinces show high percentages broadly distributed whose origins can be found the Boreotropical or Arcto-Tertiary geoflora that dominated Northern Hemisphere during the Tertiary. floristically richest are three occupy Mediterranean zone, since these harbour elements Madro-Tertiary geofloras. flora of tropical California is characterised number taxa Neotropical flora, especially those showing links South America.