Galapagos Flora

Plant paucity

In line with the volcanic nature of the islands but in stark contrast with the fauna, the flora of the Galapagos is relatively species deficient.

In fact, there are fewer species here than in similar environments on the mainland. This is because few plants are hardy enough to get across oceans and establish themselves in hostile environments.

Many of the plants that made the journey across from the continent subsequently had to adapt to having very few insects or other animals to pollinate their flowers or disperse their fruits and seeds.

In time, the species differentiated from their ancestors and today one third of the 500-plus native plants are endemic. Unique species of cotton, pepper, guava and tomato now grow on the Galapagos.

• Know more about the Galapagos Flora from the Global Conservation trust website
• Know more about the effects of the 1997-98 El Niño event on the vegetation of Galapagos from the Charles Darwin Foundation website