Comprehensive checklist of native, endemic, and subendemic tree species in the Caribbean Island Biodiversity Hotspot

This dataset presents a curated inventory of tree species native to the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot, a region recognized for its exceptional plant diversity and endemism, including endemic and subendemic taxa. Stretching from southern Florida to northeastern Venezuela, the hotspot encompasses a wide array of island groups including the Lucayan Archipelago (The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos), the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and surrounding islands), and the Lesser Antilles (from Anguilla to Grenada). It also includes islands near the continental margins of the Caribbean Sea such as Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, the Venezuelan Antilles, Trinidad & Tobago, and Southwest Caribbean (the Caribbean islands of Belize, Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua and Panama). In this dataset, the term "tree" refers to perennial woody plants that typically grow with a single trunk and branching canopy, reaching a minimum height of three meters under natural conditions. This definition includes palms, tree ferns, arborescent cacti, and species with dual growth forms that occur both as trees and shrubs. The classification of species into native, endemic, and subendemic categories is based on their known botanical distributions. Endemic species are those confined to the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot, including nearby continental islands such as Trinidad and Tobago. Subendemic species are primarily found in the Caribbean islands but also extend into adjacent continental zones, including southern Florida, coastal Venezuela and Colombia, and parts of Mesoamerica such as Belize, Guatemala, and southeastern Mexico. The dataset distinguishes between single-island endemics, multiple-island endemics, and subendemics to reflect varying degrees of geographic restriction. This dataset compiles a comprehensive checklist of 3,442 native tree taxa documented across the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot. It is organized into three Excel files: Native Trees – Includes all 3442 tree taxa recorded as native to the region, with taxonomic details and distribution notes. Endemic Trees – Focuses on 2412 species restricted to the Caribbean islands, categorized by single-island and multiple-island endemism, contributing by 70 % of the total tree flora in the region. Subendemic Trees – Lists 261 species that occur in both the Caribbean islands and adjacent continental areas, highlighting transitional biogeographic patterns. The data were compiled from a range of sources including herbarium records, floristic inventories, global databases, published literature, field surveys and expert contributions. This resource supports ecological research, conservation planning, and biodiversity assessments by providing a detailed and up-to-date reference on the tree flora of one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots.