**Biogeographical Areas of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic, Republic of Haiti)**

Ana Cano Ortiz, Carmelo María Musarella and

Eusebio Cano Carmona

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.69081

### **Abstract**

The island of Hispaniola is located between parallels 17 and 19 N and forms part of the Greater Antilles group in the Caribbean region. It covers an area of 76,484 km2 and has the highest altitudes in the whole Caribbean region. The island consists of two countries: the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti. The flora of both countries has been studied in depth by Liogier and several authors from the Dr. Rafael Ma. Moscoso National Botanical Garden in Santo Domingo; this has enabled us to examine the distribution of 1582 endemic species in 19 areas and several important endemic habitats for conservation: *Lepotogono buchii‐Leptochloopsietum virgatae; Crotono astrophori‐Leptochloopsietum virgatae; Melocacto pedenalensi‐Leptochloopsietum virgatae* and *Solano microphylli‐Leptochloopsietum virgatae* pine forests on serpentine belonging to the association *Leptogono buchii‐Pinetum occidentalis* and high‐mountain pine forests: *Dendropemom phycnophylli‐Pinetum occidenta‐ lis* and *Cocotrino scopari‐Pinetum occidentalis*. Some dry forest communities are of interest, including *Chrysophyllo oliviformi‐Sideroxyletum salicifolii* and *Zamio debilis‐Metopietum tox‐ iferi*. Based on the floristic analysis and the vegetation study, a biogeographical typology for the island, in which we propose 19 biogeographical areas (BA) has been established.

**Keywords:** Caribbean, Hispaniola, biogeography, territory, area, flora and vegetation
