Flora of Buck Island Reef National Monument, United States Virgin Islands

Abstract

Buck Island is located in the Caribbean Sea only 1 2/3 miles north of the eastern part of St. Croix and about 5 miles northeast of Christiansted, United States Virgin Islands (map, figure 1, and figure 2). This "beautiful little uninhabited island" scarcely 1 mile long and less than half as wide supports a rich and representative land flora of the seasonal or relatively dry forest, tropical zone, totaling 228 listed species of seed plants but no ferns. A major objective of this study was to obtain records at Buck Island Reef National Monument for the 2-volume illustrated reference on the trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands (Little, Woodbury, and Wadsworth 1964, 1974). T0hat publication cites distribution of each native species by public forests and parks as well as by islands. The expanded list of trees and other seed plants is published separately here because no previous study has been made. This summary of the plant names and vegetation will be available to visitors, especially scientists and students, who are attracted in increasing numbers. An inventory of the land flora of Buck Island Reef National Monument is needed because the land and surrounding reefs will be preserved in their natural state indefinitely by the National Park Service. Thus, the island is a refuge for species which might be destroyed elsewhere. The natural area with its known flora will serve as a control or check plot for comparing other islands with different land use, past, present, and future. Similar plant lists of other localities when combined will aid in understanding present plant distribution and past history. Also, the record of the present flora will serve as a basis for future studies of possible changes, such as gradual restoration of the original vegetation, migration and invasion by other plant species, and possible extinction of some now present. This flora is a contribution to the International Biological Program from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service project on forest trees of the Caribbean area. It follows one on the trees of Jost Van Dyke (British Virgin Islands) (Little 1969).

Citation

Woodbury, R. O., & Little, E. L, Jr. 1976. Flora of Buck Island Reef National Monument, United States Virgin Islands (Research Paper ITF-19). Río Piedras, PR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Institute of Tropical Forestry. 27 pp.