Oasis at the Desert Edge: Flora of Cañón del Nacapule, Sonora, Mexico

Cañón del Nacapule cuts into the southeastern flank of the Sierra El Aguaje, a ruggedvolcanic range about 20 kilometers northwest of Guaymas. Nacapule is included in theSonoran segment of the Gulf Coast subdivision of the Sonoran Desert. The bi-seasonal(summer and winter) rainfall is highly variable. Many plants of tropical origin reach theirnorthern limits in this region or do not extend farther north in the arid coastal desertof western Sonora. The vegetation in the canyon resembles tropical thornscrub and approachesthe character of tropical deciduous forest in the wetter and shaded habitats,while the steep canyon walls and exposed habitats support desertscrub. The Nacapuleflora includes 310 species in 233 genera and 72 families. The most diverse families areFabaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae, Malvaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Cactaceae. Brief speciesaccounts and identification keys as well as over 300 color photos are provided for the floraknown from the canyon, nearby Nacapule Spring, and within 500 meters of the canyonmouth. Verbesina felgeri is endemic to the Sierra El Aguaje, and geographically isolatedpopulations of tropical genera such as Aphanosperma, Briquetia, Coccoloba, and Ficus occurin the canyon. Plants not native to the Guaymas region, mostly Old World weeds, arerepresented by 19 species, three of which are not established as reproducing populations,including Corchorus olitorius, a new record for the state of Sonora. The canyon is managedfor ecotourism by the local property owners, restoring earlier habitat degradation. Cañóndel Nacapule, with 291 native species, provides conservation for 42% of the total nativeflora (ca. 700 taxa) of the 532,000 hectares (5320 km2) of the greater Guaymas region.