The city as a refuge for plant species: Woody and arborescent flora in the district of Miraflores (Lima - Peru)

Original title: La ciudad como albergue de especies: flora leñosa y arborescente en el distrito de Miraflores (Lima - Perú)

Douglas Rafael Obando Bazán
,
Hector Alonso Aponte Ubillus
,
Paul Gonzales

Biología marina
,
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos

Research Output:

Contribution to journal

Article

Peer-review

Open access

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output:

Contribution to journal

Article

Peer-review

Original language

Spanish

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 143-158

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales (Volume 50, Issue 194)

Publication milestones

Published - 2026

Publication status

Published - 2026

ISSN

0370-3908

Abstract

Miraflores is one of Lima’s districts with the greatest commitment to caring for its green areas and urban trees. In this context, the present study aimed to: a) assess the richness and composition of woody (trees and shrubs) and arborescent plants (palms and cycads); b) quantify the percentage of native and introduced species used in these spaces, and c) compare the species composition across the green areas surveyed. The methodology involved botanical collection in 78 parks and 23 walkable central berms of the district. We consulted the Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru by Brako et al. (1993) and the online resource Plants of the World Online– POWO (2024) to determine the origin of the species found. For the taxonomic identification, we used standard keys, and we analyzed the data using the Jaccard similarity index (Ij). We recorded 203 species grouped in 144 genera and 53 families. The most frequent species were Duranta erecta L. (57.4%), Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi. (56.4%), Tecoma capensis (Thunb). (55.4%), and the district’s highest floristic diversity (61 species) was found at the Bicentenario Park. Of the total flora recorded, 81.8% (166) corresponded to introduced species, while 18.2% were native (37). The similarity analysis showed that most walkable central medians exhibited high similarity (up to 100% of their species), while he parks had Ji values between 26% and 50%. These findings emphasize the ecological importance of urban green areas as reservoirs of biodiversity, reflecting the coexistence of both native and introduced flora in urban spaces. The frequency of occurrence of these species in various areas indicates their versatility and ability to adapt to different environments within the district.

Access to documents

10.18257/raccefyn.3177

License:CC BY-NC

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG 15 Life on Land