A tropical flora summarized - A statistical analysis of the vascular plant diversity of Malaya

Abstract

The flora of Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia and the Republic of Singapore) contains, at the latest estimate, 8255 species of native and naturalized species of vascular plant classified into 1681 genera and 248 families. Of the 8059 native species, 2310 (28.7%) are endemic. The largest families are the Orchidaceae (853 spp.), Rubiaceae (562 spp.), Euphorbiaceae (368 spp.), Leguminosae (298 spp.) and Gramineae (238 spp.), Syzygium (195 spp.), Bulbophyllum (110 spp.). Ficus (102 spp.), Didymocarpus (89 spp.) and Dendrobium (86 spp.) are the most speciose genera in the flora. Malaya has 23 endemic genera, to which a further three only found additionally in Peninsular Thailand can be added, making a total of 26 genera endemic to the Malay Peninsula. For its area (132000 km2) the flora is rich, but not as rich as some other tropical regions including New Guinea and Panama when area corrections are made, nor as rich as the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. The familial composition of the flora of Malaya is revealed to be highly tropical with strong similarities to the floras of New Guinea and Panama.