Flora refers to all plant species within an ecosystem. The characteristics of a region’s plants depend on the environment in which they develop, such as dry soil, moist soil, or the bed of a body of water. The flora in different ecosystems, like a temperate forest versus a savannah, varies significantly. This flora interacts with both biotic factors (fauna: animals) and abiotic factors (wind, water, soil) in its ecosystem.
Flora vs. Vegetation
It’s important to distinguish between “flora” and “vegetation”. They are not synonyms.
- Flora: Refers to the variety of species in a region.
- Vegetation: Pertains to the density of plant grouping in an area, i.e., the number of plants per square meter.
Both flora and vegetation are influenced by the region’s climatic conditions and geographical location.
Flora Characteristics
- An area may have abundant vegetation (covered by plants) but very reduced flora (limited to one species).
- Endemic flora: Unique species that exist only in a specific region and nowhere else.
Examples of Flora
- Desert Flora: Includes cacti and succulents. Adaptations include water storage, compact forms, and thorns. These plants withstand extreme temperature variations, enduring hot days and cold nights (near 0°C).
- Jungle Flora: Characterized by hot, humid climates with tall, foliage-rich trees. These trees filter sunlight, and the ecosystem is supported by flowing rivers. Features brightly colored flowers, big green leaves, and fruit trees that feed local fauna.
10 Examples of Flora
- Amazon Flora: Constitutes 20% of the world’s species, including the Amazon Victory, itahuba, caricari, tajibos, cedar, ruta barcina, mandrilo.
- Desert Flora: Cacti, succulents, xerophytes.
- Mexican Desert Flora: Cacti, thorny shrubs, agaves, grasses.
- Tropical Forest Flora: Evergreen plants, lianas, epiphytic plants.
- Taiga Flora: Conifers (fir, larch, spruce, pine), lichens.
- Tundra Flora: Dwarf shrubs, chakras, lichens, mosses, perennial grasses, willows, birches.
- Savannah Flora: Herbaceous plants, grasses.
- Prairie Flora: Grasses, sedges, turf.
- Bank of the Nile River Flora: Bamboos, banana trees, ebony.
- Riviera Maya Flora: Palm, mahogany, cedar, mangroves.