Background and Aims:

El Texcal is one of the seven state reserves in the state of Morelos, Mexico. The park is located in the state´s metropolitan area and its soil consist of volcanic rock, which allows water infiltration and recharge of the Hueyapan Lagoon, providing drinking water to 13 surrounding neighborhoods. The park covers an area of 258.93 ha, covered by tropical deciduous forest, and has a long history of invasions and land use changes. The goal of this study was to inventory the vascular plants of the Natural Protected Area Parque Estatal El Texcal, Jiutepec municipality.

Methods:

Field trips were conducted from November 2022 to July 2025 to collect fertile specimens of pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms, which was dried and subsequently identified using specialized keys. The taxonomic determination was verified with herbarium material and, in some cases, confirmed by specialists from the respective groups.

Key results:

A total of 91 families, 303 genera, and 419 species of vascular plants were recorded. Eudicots were the most diverse group with 65 families, 236 genera, and 321 species, followed by monocots with 16 families, 53 genera, and 79 species; pteridophytes with 7 families, 11 genera, and 15 species; magnoliids with 2 families, 2 genera, and 3 species; and gymnosperms with 1 family, 1 genus, and 1 species. Twenty new records were also reported for the state: 20 at the specific level and one at the genus level. Esenbeckia vazquezii (Rutaceae) and Cestrum flavescens (Solanaceae)are the endemic species of Morelos.

Conclusions:

The study area harbors 46.2% of the families, 28.8% of the genera, and 10.8-13.2% of the species recorded to date in Morelos. It highlights the challenges posed by ongoing invasions, irregular human settlements, fires, deforestation, pollution, and the change in land use from forest to urban.

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