Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica 161 
salvinii, Aspidosperma megalocarpon, Bernoullia flammea, Calathea inocephala, Cap- 
paris amplissima, Carloduvica drudei, Chamaedorea tepejilote, Copaifera aromatica, 
Cupania rufescens, Cyclanthus bipartitus, Desmoncus schippii, Dieffenbachia oerste- 
dii, Guarea grandifolia, Inga sapindoides, Kohleria tubiflora, Lacistema aggregatum, 
Miconia impetiolaris, Monstera adansonii, Nectandra martinicensis, N. reticulata, Om- 
phalea diandra, Oxandra venezuelana, Peltastes isthmicus, Piper reticulatum, Platymis- 
cium curuense, Pouteria campechiana, Stizophyllum riparium, Tillandsia brachycaulos, 
T. caput-medusae, Trichilia pleeana, and Wigandia urens. 
The flora of the Nicoya Peninsula is very similar to that found along the coast of 
the central Pacific region, especially in the vicinity of Rio Barranca (Macacona and Es- 
parza) and Carara National Park, evidence that the peninsula may have been connected 
to this part of the coast. A few species that are here more or less at their northern limit 
(or for various reasons appear to be derived from the southeast) include Aspidosperma 
megalocarpon, Bactris baileyana, Capparis amplissima, Carloduvica drudei, Connarus 
panamensis, Copaifera camibar, Cupania rufescens, Cyclanthus bipartitus, Desmon- 
cus schippii, Erythrochiton gymnanthus, Inga multijuga, Mabea excelsa, Machaerium 
microphyllum, Myroxylon balsamum, Oxandra venezuelana, Palicourea guianensis, 
Pelliciera rhizophorae, Peltastes isthmicus, Piper reticulatum, Pithecellobium hy- 
menaeifolium, and Rollinia mucosa. 
The Nicoya Peninsula is in much need of further botanical exploration to achieve 
a better understanding of its floristic relationships to other areas. Based on what little 
is known, the flora seems most similar to that of the central and southern part of the Pa- 
cific coast. Least known are the highest peaks, which surely must harbor many species 
of phytogeographic interest. 
Southeastern coastal region 
This complex region is made up of numerous ecosystems, delimited primarily by val- 
leys, watersheds, and subsidiary mountain ranges. For the purposes of this discussion 
we divide it into an intermountain plateau, subsidiary ranges, valleys, and a coastal belt. 
Intermountain plateau. To the south of the main large valley (i.e., the Central Val- 
ley), between the Pacific coast and the Cordillera de Talamanca, rises a series of sub- 
sidiary mountain ranges of medium (1000—2000 m) elevation that form numerous 
small intermountain valleys. The resulting topographic and climatic diversity is obvi- 
ously reflected in the vegetation which is, in general, quite different from that of the 
northeastern part of the Pacific slope. 
Below 1000—1200 m elevation in the Central Valley (but especially obvious below 
800 m), an association of species is found that appears to be influenced principally by 
dry forest elements from the north and moist forest elements from the south. Only 
patches of this ecosystem remain, the most conspicuous (if not the only) one being the 
