On the Island Origin of the Endemic Trees of the British Guiana Peneplain

Abstract

After an account of the principal climatic and edaphic associations (including the hydrosere) of the rain forest of British Guiana, an analysis is made of the range of 40 of the commonest trees. Endemism is shown to be prevalent and examples are given of species confined to a single river valley. In the late Tertiary the peneplain was a shallow sea studded with volcanic islands; the endemics may have survived the last period of subsidence on these islands.