A comparative analysis of the diversity, distribution, and biogeography of Araceae in southeastern Peru (Cusco and Mdre de Dios, Peru)

Araceae family comprises 106 genera and almost 3500 species with a nearly world-wide distribution. About 60% of the Araceae species of the world occur in the Neotropics. Even though recent research in Peru has resulted in a dramatic increase of species, the family is still poorly known. One of the major gaps in our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of Araceae is in the Andes-Amazon region of southeastern Peru. The analysis of existing and new collections helped better characterize the diversity and distribution of Araceae in the region. A total of 1048 field collections, including the ones conducted in this study, have yielded 161 species in 22 genera. We report additions to the Araceae flora of southeastern Peru including 14 endemic species. The area of Cusco holds the highest number of endemic species. Other areas for further research in the distribution and diversity of Araceae are proposed in this study.