Main Source Material: A Biodiversity Profile of St. Kitts & Nevis: Prepared by Bruce Horwith and Kevel Lindsay of The Island Resource Foundation, Eastern Caribbean Biodiversity Programme, November, 1999. (2.5mb - Word format or 1.5mb - PDF format)

List of Plants of St. Kitts and Nevis

The list of plants below represents two years of effort to compile the known species of plants from St. Kitts and Nevis.  It is primarily the work of Kate Orchard of the St. Christopher Heritage Society, with additions by Jennifer Lowery of the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society, and Kevel Lindsay of Island Resources Foundation.

The primary source for the records is Richard Howard’s monumental Flora of the Lesser Antilles (1974-1989), with other records from Jonathan Roughgarden (1990), Walter Meagher (1995 and 1996), the St. Kitts and Nevis Environmental Profile (CCA/IRF, 1991), Thomas Huggins (1992), A.S. Hitchcock (1936), D. Rodriques (1990), and Graham and Rickard (1992).  Some additions are a result of the observations of Lowery and Lindsay.

Although the list includes over 900 species, it is by no means complete.  Many species of plants have been introduced to the islands since the arrival of the first inhabitants.  However, the majority of introductions have occurred since the arrival of Europeans and Africans over 300 years ago.  Many of these species have been previously overlooked even though they have been on these islands for over a hundred years.  Species such as Carica papaya and Tamarindus indica are not new introductions, but represent new records for one or both islands.  It is expected that the current list will be revisited on numerous occasions as efforts to record and document the biodiversity of St. Kitts and Nevis increase.

The List of Plants of St. Kitts and Nevis will serve several purposes:
·        to increase awareness of the importance of the country’s biodiversity,
·        as a reference point to facilitate maintenance of up-to-date information on the occurrence of exotic species, and
·        as a tool for management of the country’s native and endangered flora.
Exotic species have been identified as a significant threat to native biodiversity throughout the world.  Therefore, continued expansion of the existing database is necessary to prevent further loss of native flora in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Plants of St. Kitts and Nevis

K  =      St. Kitts                          end. L.A.  =     endemic to Lesser Antilles
N  =      Nevis                              rest. L.A.  =     restricted to Lesser Antilles