Background:

The malpaís of San Andrés Corú, within the Transversal Neovolcanic Axis, has been explored botanically; however, to date it lacks a floristic inventory.

Questions:

What species are present in the Malpaís of San Andrés Corú? How is the vegetation? What is the endemism and conservation status of its flora? How much floristic affinity does the study area have with other areas of malpais?

Studied species:

Vascular plants.

Study site and dates:

Malpais of San Andres Coru, Ziracuaretiro, Michoacan, Mexico; March 2012 to April 2014.

Methods:

Botanical specimens were collected in the field. The taxonomic identification was carried out using specialized bibliography. The vegetation was defined from the physiognomy and dominant species. The results are compared with the flora of four áreas of malpais.

Results:

The flora is made up of 104 families, 334 genera, 544 species and 13 infraspecific taxa. The most diverse families are Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Orchidaceae, and Poaceae. The genera with the most species are Desmodium and Tillandsia. Four types of vegetation are distinguished: coniferous forest, Quercus forest, tropical deciduous forest and mountain cloud forest. The flora includes 157 endemic species. Nine species are listed in the NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 and six in the IUCN Red List. The area has a greater floristic affinity with the malpais of Arocutin.

Conclusions:

The study area has a diverse flora that complements that of other malpaises in the region. Currently anthropogenic activities threaten its conservation, so the results of this study will serve as the basis for recovery or restoration actions.

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