A significant advancement in botanical research has emerged from Venezuela, where the latest edition of the book Flora de Guaramacal details 97 plant species from the Guaramacal region, including five newly identified species.
Dr. Santos Miguel Niño, a researcher at the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research (IVIC), highlighted that this publication continues previous works on the flora of Guaramacal National Park, a biodiversity hotspot in the Venezuelan Andes.
This second volume notably includes descriptions of three new species for science: Piper sotobosquense, Piper calvari, and Hediosmum guaramacalense. The book also discusses the unique flowering patterns of certain Lauraceae species, which can take years to yield fertile samples.
Dr. Niño emphasized the book's innovative approach, providing crucial data on the global, national, and local distribution of plants, their altitudes, uses, and common names. This information is vital for restoration projects and holds potential for pharmaceutical and chemical industries, as each plant represents a unique chemical laboratory.
This publication significantly contributes to the understanding of Venezuela's cloud forest and paramo biodiversity and is available for download.