Guide to the Naturalized and Invasive Plants of the Caribbean

The Caribbean region is one of the world's greatest centres of biodiversity. It includes about 11,000 species of plants of which 72% are found nowhere else on earth. Endemic vertebrates include all of the 189 species of amphibians present in the Caribbean; 95% of the 520-reptile species; 26% of the 564-bird species; and 74% of the 69 species of mammals, mostly bats. Species endemic to this hotspot represent 2.6% of the world's plant species and 3.5% of the world's vertebrate species. This biodiversity, and the livelihoods of people that depend on it are threatened by, among others, the uncontrolled spread of invasive alien species (IAS). This Field Guide has been developed to help address one of the barriers to effective IAS management, which is the lack of information on the presence, impact and management of invasive alien plant species in the Caribbean. In general, we have only included those species that we consider to be threatening biodiversity and livestock production.