Plant enthusiasts will be equally astonished by the incredible biodiversity found in Panama , a country smaller than South Carolina , barely 30,000 square miles. Scientists estimate that over 10,000 species of vascular plants exist in Panama , and many first-time visitors to the lowland rainforests at Sierra Llorona will get the impression that they are all growing right in front of them. But there is more than rainforest in Panama .

Among the showpiece groups of Panamanian flora are the orchids and bromeliads, with over 1,000 species, ranging from sea-level to the highest mountain peaks. The highest diversity can be found at mid-elevations such as Sierra Llorona, where one large tree can have over twenty species growing on trunk and branches, amidst dozens of other epiphytes. Heliconias, a group of plants closely related to bananas and birds-of-paradise, display their brightly colored, crab-claw shaped inflorescences in dense thickets along streams and freshwater lakes. These plants evolved together with the hummingbird species that pollinate them, creating an interaction that displays such intense beauty and complexity, that it inspired wildlife artists since the Victorian days.

• ACANTHACEAE
  Aphelandra panamensis McDade
• ANACARDIACEAE
  Spondias mombis L.
  Tapiria guianensis Aubl.
• ANNONACEAE
  Anaxagorea sp.
  Anaxagorea allenii R. E.
  Fries Annona montana Macfad Guatteria amplifolia Tr.
  Pl Unonpsis panamensis R. E. Fries
• APOCYNACEAE
  Aspidosperma mcgravianum Woods Stemmadenia minima A.
  Gentry Tabernaemontana undulata Vahl
• ARACEAE
  Anthurium tetragonum Dieffenbachia logisphata Engl.& K.
  Kruse Philodendron alliodorum Croat & Grayum Philodendron fragrantissimum (Hook.)
  Kunth Philodendron sagittifolium Liebm.
  Spathiphyllum guindiuense Engl.
  Spathiphyllum fulvovirens Schott
  Syngonium schottianum Schott
  Syngonium macrophyllum Engl.
• ARALIACEAE
  Schefflera morototoni (Aubl.) Maguire
• BIGNONIACEAE
  Jacaranda copaia (Aubl.) D. Don
• BOMBACACEAE
  Pachira aquatica Aubl.
  Quararibea sp.
• BORAGINACEAE
  Cordia dwyerii Nowicke
  Cordia porcata Nowicke
• BROMELIACEAE
  Aechmea dactylina Baker
  Aechnea magdalenae (Andre)
  Andre ex Baker Catopsis sp.
  Tillandsia sp. Vriesia sp.
• BURSERACEAE
  Protium glabrum (Rose) Engl.
• CACTACEAE
  Epiphyllum sp.
• CAPPARIDACEAE
  Capparis pittieri Standl
• CARICACEAE
  Jacaratia costaricensis L. M.
  Johnst
• CHRYSOBALANACEAE
  Licania sp.
• CLUSIACEAE
  Calophyllum longifolium Willd.
  Garcinia mangostana L.
  Simphonia sp.
  Simphonia globulifera L. f.
  Tovomita weddelliana Pl. & Tr.
  Vismia billbergiana Beurl.
  Vismia latisepala N.
  Robson Vismia macrophylla H. B. K.
• CYCLANTHACEAE
  Dicranopygium sp. Cyclanthus bipartitus Poit.
• CYPERACEAE Scleria
  sp. Cyperus sp.
• DILLENIACEAE
  Davilla kunthii St. Hil.
• EUPHORBIACEAE
  Acalypha sp
  Hyeronima alchornioides Allemao Mabea occidentalis Benth
  Pera arborea Mutis
• GENTIANACEAE
  Voyra tenella Hokk.
• GESNERIACEAE
  Episcia lilacina Hanst.
  Columnea billgergiana Beurl.
• GRAMINEAE
  Pariana sp.
  Ichnantus sp.
• HAEMODORACEAE
  Xiphidium caeeruleum Aubl.
• HELICONIACEAE
  Heliconia longiflora R.R.Sm.
  Heliconia irrasa R.R. Sm.
  Heliconia metallica Hook.
• HUMIRIACEAE
  Sacoglottis ovicarpa Cuart.
• LECYTHIDACEAE
  Couratari guianensis Aubl.
  Eschweilera sp.
• LEGUMINOSAE
  Albizzia caribaea (Urb.) Britt. & Rose
  Bauhinia excisa Aubl.
  Erythrina costaricensis M. Mich.
  Inga sp.
  Inga sertulifera DC.
  Pentaclethra macroloba (Willd.) Ktze.
  Swartzia simplex (Sw.) Spr.
• MALVACEAE
  Malvaviscus arboreus Cav.
• MARANTACEAE
  Calathea microcephala
  Calathea sp.
• MELASTOMATACEAE
  Leandra granatensis Gleason
  Miconia prasina (Sw.) DC.
  Miconia theaezans (Bonpl.) Cogn.
  Miconia santaritensis Almeda
  Miconia ligulata Almeda
  Topobea sp.
• MELIACEAE
  Carapa guianensis Aubl.
• MONIMIACEAE
  Siparuna radiata
• MORACEAE
  Cecropia heterochroma
  Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol.
  Naucleopsis ulei ssp. Puberula
  Perebea xanthochyma Karst.
  Trophis caucana (Pittier) C. C. Berg
• MYRISTICACEAE
  Virola megacarpa A. Gentry
• MYRSINACEAE
  Cybianthus sp.
  Parathesis sp.
• MYRTACEAE
  Eugenia sp.
• OCHNACEAE
  Cespedezia macrophylla Seem.
  Ouratea sulcatinervia Whitefoord
  Sauvagesia erecta L.
• OLACACEAE
  Heisteria costaricensis J.D. Sm.
• ORCHIDACEAE
  Hexisea imbricata (Lindl.)Rchb.
• PALMAE
  Astrocaryum standleyanum L. H. Bailey
  Bactris sp.
  Chamaedorea correae
  Chamaedoreae pinnatifrons (Jacq.) Oerst.
  Desmoncus orthacanthos Mart.
  Geonoma cuneata H. Wendl.
  Geonoma interrupta (R. & P.) Mart.
  Reinchartia sp.
  Socratea exhorriza (Mart.) Wendl.
  Synechantus warscewiczianus Wendl.
• PIPERACEAE
  Piper sp.
• POLYGONACEAE
  Triplaris sp.
• RUBIACEAE
  Coccocypselum hirsutum DC.
  Faramea sp.
  Palicourea guianense Aubl.
  Psychotria capitata R.&P
  Psychotria erecta (Aubl.) Standl. & Steyem.
  Psychotria.glomerulata (J.D. Sm.) Steyerm.
  Psychotria poeppigiana Muell-Arg.
  Psychotria santaritensis Dwyer
  Psychotria suerrensis J.D. Sm.
  Rudgea mcphersonii Dwyer
  Rudgea pittieri
  Spermacoce ocymifolia Willd. Ex. Roem. & Schult.
  Stachyarrhena dichroa Standl.
  Warszewiczia coccinea (Vahl) Kl.
• SAPOTECEAE
  Manilkara zapota (L.) Royen
  Micropholis sp.
  Pouteria sp.
• SIMAROUBACEAE
  Simarouba amara Aubl.
• SOLANACEAE
  Witheringia solanacea L´Her
• STERCULIACEAE
  Sterculia sp.
• THEOPHRASTACEAE
  Clavija mezii Pitt. Sp. Allenii
• VERBENACEAE
  Citharexylum sp.
• VIOLACEAE
  Rinorea dasyadena A. Robyns
• VITACEAE
  Vitis tiliifolia R. & S.
• VOCHYSIACEAE
  Vochysia ferruginea Mart.
• ZINGIBERACEAE
  Costus allenii Maas
• OTHER
  Lycopodiella cernua (L.) Pic. S.
  Metaxya rostrata (Kunth) C. Presl.
  Pityrogramma calomelanos (L.) Link.
  Polypodium fraxinifolium Jacq.
  Salpichlaena volubilis (Kaulf) J. Sm.
  Selaginella arthritica Alston
  Tectaria incisa Cav.
  Trichomanes pinnatum Hedw.
  Trichomanes osmundioides DC. Ex Poir

Poisonus Common Plants

Dieffenbachia sp., Mother in Law Plant, Money Plant, Dumbcane
The juices of this plant contain an irritating substance and needlelike calcium oxalate crystals that irritate mucous membranes: mouth, tongue and eyes, causing serious swelling. Very common inside houses; cultivated as a house plant.

Philodendron sp., Philodendron
37 species found in Panama. All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals that irritates mouth, tongue, and throat if ingested.

Alocasia macorrhiza, Elephants ear, Otoe
Grown as crop and ornamental. The root can be eaten if boiled before eating. All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals that irritates mouth, tongue, and throat if ingested.

Thevetia ahouai, Huevo de tigre
The fruit and seeds are quite poisonous and care must be taken when trimming. All parts contain abundant milky latex that causes skin irritation.

Thevetia peruviana, Lucky Nut or Yellow Oleander
Beautiful funnel-shaped yellow flower. All parts, including fruits and seeds are poisonous and cause gastrointestinal problems if ingested.

Oleander, Nerium oleander
All parts of the plant are extremely poisonous if ingested. Deadly.

Frangipani, Plumeria acutifolia and Plumeria rubra
Often planted because of the sweet odor release by flowers. Used to decorate altars. When broken, the stem and leaves exude a milky latex that stain clothing and may irritate the skin.

Allamanda cathartica, Yellow Allamanda, Golden Trumpet, or Butter cup Flower
Broken parts from the plant exudes a milky latex irritant for the skin. A popular ornamental.

Mangifera indica, Mango,
Introduce from the Old World. A very popular fruit consider the King of Fruits. Can be find anywhere in Panama. Some people are highly allergic to the skin of the fruit and to the milky white sap and cannot eat mangos.

Anacardium occidentale, Cashew, or Marañon
The kidney-shaped nut is poisonous unless shelled and roasted to eliminate the poisonous oil; in contact with skin can cause irritation and swelling similar to the symptoms of poison ivy.

Euphorbia pulcherima, Poisenttia, Flor de Navidad
All parts of the plant are poisonous. The milky sap causes a rash or blistering upon contact with the skin, and ingestion results in severe irritation to the mouth, throat and stomach.

Ricinus communis, Castor-Bean
Seeds contains several highly toxic substances and ingestion can be fatal to an adult.

Hura crepitans, Sand Box Tree
The oily seeds may cause severe gastric distress or death. The milky sap may cause serious inflammation upon contact with skin, or temporary or permanent blindness upon contact with the eyes.

Brugmansia candida and Datura stramonium, Angel Trumpet and Jimson Weed
Leaves and seedscontains powerful narcotic principles that can be extremely dangerous if ingested.

Lantana camara: Lantana
Every part of the plant (tropical weed) can be poisonous, especially the fruit, and ingestion can result in severe gostrointestinakl problem, salivation, muscular weakness and constrictiion of the pupils of the eyes.