Species Resources

Guides and databases for identifying native and invasive species across the Puerto Rico region, including plant guides, endangered species resources, keystone species, and native plant databases.
Native & Invasive Species Identification
Forester’s Field Guide – A field guide to the trees and shrubs of Puerto Rico, by renowned dendrologist and forester Dr. Mark S. Ashton, Yale School of the Environment.
Flora de El Verde – Virtual Herbarium for the flora of the El Verde Field Station, representative of northeast Puerto Rico.
National Databases
USDA PLANTS Database (USA) - Federal database of plant names, classification, and distribution, widely used for confirming native plant identification.
Flora of PR and USVI  – Resources at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
Wetland Plants – USACE Wetland Plant List for the Caribbean.
Invasive Species Resources
Caribbean Invasives – Information on invasive species across the Caribbean.
Common Weeds – Common weed guide for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Endangered Species
Threatened and Endangered Species – Protected species list under the jurisdiction of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Environmental Sensitivity Index Maps – Developed by NOAA to identify coastal resources that might be at risk under an oil spill scenario, these maps cover all of the Puerto Rican archipelago and identify the location sensitive/protected flora and fauna.  Data is available as PDFs or GIS layers.  These maps also include extensive tables with biological data for each species.
Keystone Species
Caribbean Pollinators – Publications by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
State Plant Guides
PLN Native Tree Guide – Native tree guide developed by the conservation organization Para La Naturaleza. Includes helpful information for appropriate use of each species.
Silvics of Trees of PR – Silvics of Native and Exotic Trees of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands, USDA Forest Service.
Urban Forestry Manual – Urban Forestry Manual for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.  Includes guidelines for the use of native and naturalized trees in the urban environment.  USDA Forest Service. In Spanish.
Native Shrubs – Guide to the native shrubs for conservation practices in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Forest Trees – Guide to native and naturalized forest trees for planting in Puerto Rico. USDA Forest Service, 1999.
Green Infrastructure Plants – Recommended species for green infrastructure in the Caribbean.