Evolutionary history of the flora of Mexico: dry forests cradles and museums of endemism

Mexico is considered an exceptional biogeographic area with a varied and unique endemic vascular flora that is estimated at half of the global total of approximately 24,500 species. However, spatial phylogenetic measures of biodiversity for this flora have not yet been estimated to understand how the Mexican flora assembled to form current vegetation. Patterns of species richness, weighted endemism, phylogenetic diversity and weighted phylogenetic endemism, as well as centers of neo- and paleo-endemism were determined to examine differences and congruence among these measures, and the implications of these results for conservation. Out from 24,445 vascular plant species 10,271 (42%) are endemic to Mexico. Areas of endemism and phylogenetic endemism were associated with zones of topographic complexity in the main mountain systems, in the deserts, and in isolated dry zones. Every single locality that seasonal tropical dry forests have been reported in Mexico was identified as an area of e...