The hepatic flora of the Azores: Brief historical outline, present knowledge, endemics and phytogeographical aspects

After a short introduction to the main geographical, geological and climati c features of the Azores, an historical outline of the hepaticological rese arch on these islands is given. Lists enumerate the 153 hepatics presently known with certitude on the Azores and 28 species erroneously recorded or n ot documented by original specimens. Tile species richness of the different islands is discussed briefly. The list of Azorean endemics is critically u pdated and reduced to 5 species, among which 3 are probably conspecific wit h Neotropical or African taxa. The tropical affinity of the Azorean hepatic flora is especially examined with a table including 41 species with neotro pical, paleotropical or pantropical distribution or affinity, showing the d ominance of the neotropical element among them (13.7 % of the hepatics). Fi nally, some observations are made about the most original species of the Az orean hepatic flora, which seems today nut to be severely threatened, thank s to recent conservation measures on most of the islands, although they sho uld be seriously reinforced.