Objective:

To analyze the structure and floristic diversity in two localities in the Resguardo Indígena Nuestra Señora Candelaria de La Montaña indigenous reservation in the municipality of Riosucio-Caldas: La Soledad and Palermo.

Scope:

To contribute to knowledge about the arboreal flora of the sub-Andean forest and Andean forest of Caldas.

Methodology:

A transect of 0.1 ha was made in both localities. All individuals with DBH ≥ 2.5 cm were studied.

Main results:

A total of 382 individuals, 77 species and 37 families, were recorded in La Soledad, and 274 individuals, 82 species and 40 families, were recorded in Palermo. Between the two locations the number of shared species is 31, (Jaccard = 24% similarity).

Conclusions:

The forests of La Soledad are more diverse (50 species effective) than those of Palermo (47 species). Rubiaceae, Lauraceae and Melastomataceae were the families with the highest species richness in both forests, and Arecaceae and Cyatheaceae registered the highest values of ecological importance (IVI) in La Soledad and Verbenaceae in Palermo. Wettinia kalbreyeri known locally as “palma macana or macana” is the most important species according to IVI values. Five species present some level of risk of extinction among which the presence of Calatola costaricensis (Metteniusaceae) and Magnolia hernandezii (Magnoliaceae) stand out in the category Endangered (EN).

Conclusions:

The presence of these species evidence the importance of these forests in the conservation of floristic diversity at the regional and national levels. However, despite the restrictions for their exploitation and commercialization, these practices are still carried out, which represent a risk to their regional populations.

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