Local floristic characteristics and their evolution

Mexico, with prossibly a total of 30 thousand plant species, is one of the most important countries in the World in terms of the richness of it´s flora.

Composites, graminae, and cacti are better represented in the North of Mexico, while Legumes abound in the warmer climates of the South.

In Sonora and Sinaloa, there are around 4 thousand species of phanerogamae.

This enormous diversity of species of Mexico has it´s origin in the climate and geologic changes that the nation has undergone throughout time.

In this Municipality, today there are species corresponding to three Geofloras:

First, the same as islands, there are small pine forests located in the tops of the tallest mountains within the Municipality (these are the remains of the Tertiary Geoflora who used to cover this region); examples of this can be found in the Pinito Mountains.

Second, Oak Forests, located at lower heights (remains of the Tertiary Sierra Madre Geoflora).

Third, at even lower heights, you will find the Prairies and Semidesertic Plants. These latest will continue gaining importance as you continue going even lower.

However, this isn´t all: The same as living fossils, penetrating across the rest of the floras, along the rivers and creeks, we also have riparian vegetation extending along the banks.

That´s why within a small area, we will also find a great diversity of microbiotas (small areas with different plants from those located a few yards away), which owe their existence to the microclimate of that particular spot. Among the contributing factors are differences in elevation of the spot, different sun illumination, thermal inversions, flows of cold air, the porosity of the soil, etc.

One example of this microbiotas can be seen in the hills located near Nogales, which have their Northern flanks covered with oaks, while in the Southern looking flanks, we will see grasses and/of mezquites.

And even deeper in the canyons, depending

The different biotas within the Municipality are as follows: