Plants & Mangroves of La Saladita — Pacific Mexico Flora Guide

Four mangrove species frame the estuary — red mangrove at the water edge, black mangrove on intertidal mudflats, white mangrove mid-estuary, buttonwood on the inland fringe. Behind them, a dry tropical forest with over 670 documented plant species.

670+ species documented within 50 km

Mangroves, dry forest, beach, and dune species — the photo field guide.

Field guide

Photo field guide

Plants you'll meet, by habitat

Mangroves (the estuary's framework)

View species detail for Rhizophora mangle Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)

Mangle rojo Red Mangrove Rhizophora mangle details → Prop roots, the front line

View species detail for Avicennia germinans Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans)

Mangle negro Black Mangrove Avicennia germinans details → Pneumatophores, salt-tolerant

View species detail for Laguncularia racemosa White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)

Mangle blanco White Mangrove Laguncularia racemosa details → Inner zones

View species detail for Conocarpus erectus Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)

Mangle botoncillo Buttonwood Conocarpus erectus details → Transition zone, drier

Dry tropical forest trees

View species detail for Enterolobium cyclocarpum Guanacaste / Earpod Tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum)

Guanacaste Guanacaste / Earpod Tree Enterolobium cyclocarpum details → Massive crown, signature tree

View species detail for Ceiba pentandra Kapok (Ceiba pentandra)

Ceiba Kapok Ceiba pentandra details → Sacred to Mesoamerica

View species detail for Bursera simaruba Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba)

Palo mulato Gumbo Limbo Bursera simaruba details → Peeling red bark

View species detail for Brosimum alicastrum Breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum)

Ramón / Capomo Breadnut Brosimum alicastrum details → Maya staple, edible seeds

View species detail for Ficus insipida Wild Fig (Ficus insipida)

Higuera Wild Fig Ficus insipida details → Strangler, food for wildlife Medicinal use: Latex applied topically for warts and skin lesions; latex is caustic — not for internal use. Part used: latex. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Tabebuia rosea Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia rosea)

Roble de sabana Pink Trumpet Tree Tabebuia rosea details → Spectacular dry-season bloom

View species detail for Spondias purpurea Mexican Plum (Spondias purpurea)

Ciruela mexicana Mexican Plum Spondias purpurea details → Edible fruit, common in villages

View species detail for Crescentia alata Jicaro Tree (Crescentia alata)

Jícaro Jicaro Tree Crescentia alata details → Calabash gourds from trunk

View species detail for Bursera linanoe Copal limón (Bursera linanoe)

Copal limón Lime Copal Bursera linanoe Citrus-scented resin, dry forest Medicinal use: Resin burned as copal incense in ritual cleansing; applied topically as an antiseptic on wounds. Parts used: resin. Nahua and Mixtec traditional medicine.

View species detail for Bursera fagaroides Copal blanco (Bursera fagaroides)

Copal blanco White Copal Bursera fagaroides Papery white bark, Bursera family Medicinal use: Resin used as antiseptic wound dressing and burned as ritual incense. Part used: resin. Nahua traditional medicine.

View species detail for Ceiba aesculifolia Pochote (Ceiba aesculifolia)

Pochote Pochote / Dry-forest Ceiba Ceiba aesculifolia Spiny trunk, cotton-like seeds

View species detail for Pseudobombax palmeri Pochote (Pseudobombax palmeri)

Pochote Palmer's Bombax Pseudobombax palmeri Spectacular dry-season flowers

View species detail for Amphipterygium adstringens Cuachalalate (Amphipterygium adstringens)

Cuachalalate Cuachalalate Amphipterygium adstringens Medicinal bark, endemic Mexico Medicinal use: Bark decoction traditionally used for gastric ulcers, wound healing, and as an antiseptic. Part used: bark. (UNAM Atlas de las Plantas de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana)

View species detail for Lysiloma divaricatum Tepehuaje (Lysiloma divaricatum)

Tepehuaje Tepehuaje Lysiloma divaricatum Dominant dry-forest legume Medicinal use: Bark decoction traditionally used for diarrhea and skin inflammations. Part used: bark. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Acacia cochliacantha Cubata (Acacia cochliacantha)

Cubata Cubata / Boat-spine Acacia Acacia cochliacantha Thorny scrub, nitrogen fixer

View species detail for Caesalpinia cacalaco Cascalote (Caesalpinia cacalaco)

Cascalote Cascalote Caesalpinia cacalaco Yellow flowers, tanning bark

View species detail for Parmentiera aculeata Cuajilote (Parmentiera aculeata)

Cuajilote Cuajilote Parmentiera aculeata Edible fruits grow from trunk Medicinal use: Fruit and bark decoction traditionally used for diabetes management and kidney health. Parts used: fruit, bark. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Haematoxylum brasiletto Palo de brasil (Haematoxylum brasiletto)

Palo de brasil Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood Haematoxylum brasiletto Red heartwood, dye tree Medicinal use: Bark and heartwood decoction traditionally used as a blood purifier and for liver complaints. Part used: heartwood, bark. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Castilla elastica Hule (Castilla elastica)

Hule Panama Rubber Tree Castilla elastica Pre-Columbian rubber source Medicinal use: Latex traditionally applied topically as an anti-inflammatory for joint pain and skin conditions. Part used: latex. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Swietenia humilis Caoba (Swietenia humilis)

Caoba Pacific Coast Mahogany Swietenia humilis IUCN Endangered · prized timber

View species detail for Cedrela odorata Cedro rojo (Cedrela odorata)

Cedro rojo Spanish Cedar Cedrela odorata IUCN Vulnerable · aromatic wood

Beach & dune

View species detail for Cocos nucifera Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae)

Riñonina Beach Morning Glory Ipomoea pes-caprae Pioneer, holds dune sand

View species detail for Cocos nucifera Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera)

Cocotero Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera details → Iconic; widely planted

View species detail for Sesuvium portulacastrum Sea Purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum)

Verdolaga marina Sea Purslane Sesuvium portulacastrum details → Salt-tolerant succulent

View species detail for Suriana maritima Bay Cedar (Suriana maritima)

Cuabilla Bay Cedar Suriana maritima details → Shrub, dune backbone

View species detail for Coccoloba uvifera Uva de mar (Coccoloba uvifera)

Uva de mar Sea Grape Coccoloba uvifera Rounds leaves, edible fruit

View species detail for Terminalia catappa Almendro de playa (Terminalia catappa)

Almendro de playa Sea Almond / Tropical Almond Terminalia catappa Tiered canopy, beach shade tree

View species detail for Hibiscus tiliaceus Majagua (Hibiscus tiliaceus)

Majagua Sea Hibiscus / Coastal Cottonwood Hibiscus tiliaceus Yellow flowers, coastal scrub

Cacti & succulents

View species detail for Stenocereus thurberi Organ Pipe Cactus (Stenocereus thurberi)

Pitahaya / Pitayo Organ Pipe Cactus Stenocereus thurberi details → Tall columnar, edible fruit

View species detail for Plumeria rubra Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)

Nopal Prickly Pear Opuntia ficus-indica Edible pads and tuna fruit

View species detail for Stenocereus quevedonis Pitayo (Stenocereus quevedonis)

Pitayo Quevedó's Pitayo Stenocereus quevedonis Columnar, Guerrero endemic

View species detail for Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum Cardón (Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum)

Cardón / Órgano Hairbrush Cactus Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum Tall columnar, dry slopes

Lagoon edge & freshwater

View species detail for Phragmites australis Carrizo (Phragmites australis)

Carrizo Common Reed Phragmites australis Tall reed, lagoon margins

View species detail for Typha domingensis Tule (Typha domingensis)

Tule Southern Cattail Typha domingensis Cattail, wetland indicator

View species detail for Eichhornia crassipes Lirio acuático (Eichhornia crassipes)

Lirio acuático Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes Invasive — can block lagoon flow

View species detail for Pontederia cordata Pico de gallo acuático (Pontederia cordata)

Pico de gallo acuático Pickerelweed Pontederia cordata Purple flowers, shallow water

Culturally important

View species detail for Persea americana Aguacate (Persea americana)

Aguacate Avocado Persea americana Native to Mexico, village staple

View species detail for Mangifera indica Mango (Mangifera indica)

Mango Mango Mangifera indica Everywhere Jun–Aug at Saladita

View species detail for Tamarindus indica Tamarindo (Tamarindus indica)

Tamarindo Tamarind Tamarindus indica Sour pods, agua fresca base Medicinal use: Pulp traditionally used as a mild laxative and fever reducer; also astringent for sore throats. Part used: fruit pulp. Widely documented across Mexican traditional medicine.

View species detail for Musa spp Plátano (Musa spp)

Plátano / Banana Banana / Plantain Musa spp Grown in every village garden

View species detail for Carica papaya Papaya (Carica papaya)

Papaya Papaya Carica papaya Fast-growing, fruiting year-round Medicinal use: Unripe fruit and leaves traditionally used as a digestive aid (papain enzyme); seed decoction for intestinal parasites. Parts used: unripe fruit, seeds, leaves. Widely used across Mexican Pacific coast communities.

View species detail for Annona squamosa Anona (Annona squamosa)

Anona / Saramuyo Sugar Apple / Custard Apple Annona squamosa Sweet custard fruit, sold locally Medicinal use: Seed powder and leaf decoction traditionally used as an antiparasitic for intestinal worms. Parts used: seeds, leaves. ⚠ Seeds are toxic if ingested whole. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Muntingia calabura Capulín (Muntingia calabura)

Capulín / Nanche de Castilla Jamaican Cherry Muntingia calabura Small red berries, loved by birds

View species detail for Ipomoea wolcottiana Cazahuate (Ipomoea wolcottiana)

Cazahuate Cazahuate / Morning Glory Tree Ipomoea wolcottiana White flowers, dry-season spectacle Medicinal use: Root decoction traditionally used as a diuretic and for kidney support. Part used: root. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Delonix regia Tabachín (Delonix regia)

Tabachín / Flamboyán Flamboyant / Royal Poinciana Delonix regia Scarlet canopy, dry-season marker

View species detail for Jacaranda mimosifolia Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)

Jacaranda Jacaranda Jacaranda mimosifolia Purple bloom, planted in towns

View species detail for Tillandsia usneoides Heno / Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides)

Heno / Paxtle Spanish Moss Tillandsia usneoides Epiphytic bromeliad, drapes trees

View species detail for Tillandsia spp Bromelia / Gallito (Tillandsia spp)

Bromelia / Gallito Air Plant / Tillandsia Tillandsia spp Epiphyte on dry-forest trees

Flowering & iconic

View species detail for Plumeria rubra Frangipani / Plumeria (Plumeria rubra)

Cacaloxóchitl / Flor de mayo Frangipani / Plumeria Plumeria rubra details → Sacred, fragrant flowers Medicinal use: Flower infusion traditionally used as a mild laxative. ⚠ Milky latex is caustic — keep off skin and eyes; not for internal use. Parts used: flowers. Nahua traditional medicine.

View species detail for Bougainvillea spectabilis Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis)

Bugambilia Bougainvillea Bougainvillea spectabilis details → Ubiquitous in Mexican villages

Tulipán / Obelisco Hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Common ornamental, edible

Medicinal & ethnobotanical

Traditional uses documented in the UNAM Atlas de las Plantas de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana and regional ethnobotanical surveys. Not all uses have been clinically validated. Some plants carry serious contraindications — particularly in pregnancy. Consult a qualified practitioner before use.

View species detail for Psidium guajava Guayaba (Psidium guajava)

Guayaba Guava Psidium guajava Edible fruit, common in gardens Medicinal use: Leaf decoction traditionally used for diarrhea and gastroenteritis; antibacterial properties documented in published research. Part used: leaves. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Turnera diffusa Damiana (Turnera diffusa)

Damiana Damiana Turnera diffusa Dry-forest shrub, yellow flowers Medicinal use: Leaf tea traditionally used as an anxiolytic, mild mood elevator, and aphrodisiac along the Pacific coast and Baja California. Part used: leaves. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Dysphania ambrosioides Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides)

Epazote Epazote / Mexican Tea Dysphania ambrosioides Culinary herb, grows in village gardens Medicinal use: Leaf tea traditionally used as an antiparasitic for intestinal worms; added to bean dishes to reduce flatulence. Part used: leaves. ⚠ Large doses are toxic. Nahua and Mixtec traditional medicine.

View species detail for Piper auritum Hoja santa (Piper auritum)

Hoja santa / Hierba santa Holy Leaf / Root Beer Plant Piper auritum Large fragrant leaves, wet margins Medicinal use: Leaf poultice traditionally applied for skin infections and fevers; antimicrobial properties. Also widely used as a culinary wrap for tamales and fish. Part used: leaves. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Casimiroa edulis Zapote blanco (Casimiroa edulis)

Zapote blanco White Sapote / Mexican Sleep Apple Casimiroa edulis White fruit, planted in villages Medicinal use: Leaf decoction traditionally used as a sedative and to lower blood pressure. Part used: leaves. ⚠ Seeds are toxic. Nahua and Aztec traditional medicine. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Artemisia ludoviciana Estafiate (Artemisia ludoviciana)

Estafiate / Istafiata White Sagebrush / Prairie Sage Artemisia ludoviciana Aromatic herb, dry rocky slopes Medicinal use: Leaf tea traditionally used as a digestive and for menstrual regulation. Part used: leaves. ⚠ Contraindicated in pregnancy — abortifacient in high doses. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Cnidoscolus aconitifolius Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius)

Chaya / Chichicaste Tree Spinach / Chaya Cnidoscolus aconitifolius Leafy shrub, traditional food plant Medicinal use: Cooked leaves eaten as a nutrient-dense vegetable; traditionally used to support blood-sugar regulation. Part used: cooked leaves. ⚠ Raw leaves contain hydrocyanic glucosides — must be cooked. Maya and Nahua food medicine.

View species detail for Aloe vera Sábila / Aloe vera (Aloe vera)

Sábila Aloe Vera Aloe vera Cultivated near homes throughout region Medicinal use: Leaf gel widely applied for burns, sunburn, and skin irritation. Juice taken internally for gastric inflammation. Part used: leaf gel. One of the most universally documented medicinal plants in Mexican traditional medicine.

View species detail for Lantana camara Cinco negritos (Lantana camara)

Cinco negritos Lantana / Shrub Verbena Lantana camara Multicolored flowers, dry scrub Medicinal use: Leaf decoction traditionally used for skin infections and as an anti-itch wash. Part used: leaves. ⚠ Green berries are toxic. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

View species detail for Ruta graveolens Ruda (Ruta graveolens)

Ruda Rue Ruta graveolens Cultivated herb, culturally significant Medicinal use: Leaf infusion traditionally used for menstrual complaints and as a ritual cleansing herb. Part used: leaves. ⚠ Contraindicated in pregnancy — potent emmenagogue and abortifacient. Grown in nearly every village herb garden in coastal Guerrero.

View species detail for Solanum americanum Hierba mora (Solanum americanum)

Hierba mora Black Nightshade Solanum americanum Weed of disturbed ground, small fruits Medicinal use: Leaf poultice traditionally applied for skin inflammations and headaches. Part used: leaves externally. ⚠ All green parts and unripe berries are toxic if eaten — not for internal use. (UNAM Atlas PMTM)

Photos via iNaturalist (CC-licensed). Species grouped by habitat — front-of-estuary mangroves, dry tropical forest behind the village, beach and dune pioneers, and the cacti, fruit trees, and ornamentals that thread through it all. The mangroves are the keystone group: red mangrove builds the front edge with its prop roots, black mangrove the middle with its breathing pneumatophores, and white mangrove the inner brackish zone.

Four mangrove species: red (*Rhizophora mangle*, prop roots at water edge), black (*Avicennia germinans*, pneumatophores on intertidal mudflats), white (*Laguncularia racemosa*, mid-estuary), buttonwood (*Conocarpus erectus*, inland fringe). Behind the beach: tropical dry forest — bare Nov–May, flushing green with first rains. *Bursera* spp., agaves, cacti on rocky outcrops. 670+ species in combined iNaturalist/GBIF records within 25 km.

Live data · iNaturalist

Recent plant observations

Research-grade plant observations from iNaturalist within 25 km of La Saladita, last 90 days. Photos and identifications by the iNaturalist community.

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Most recorded plants

Top species by GBIF / iNat count

Amphiroa misakiensisUncommon · Jun–Nov
Hypnea pannosaUncommon · Jun–Nov
Caulerpa sertularioidesUncommon · Jun–Nov
Conocarpus erectusUncommon · Apr
Cocos nuciferaUncommon · Jan

With 670+ species and 3,645 total records, per-species percentages are all <3% — no species meets the "Common" threshold individually. Dominant group in records: intertidal algae (red algae, green algae), largely from GBIF marine surveys. Terrestrial plants are the everyday visible flora.

Data note

November observer bias applies

Raw peak month is November for plants (effort-inflated 6× vs. dry season). Normalized peak shifts to April — consistent with the late dry season / pre-rain flowering window. Per-species monthly counts are not available in the source artifact, so year-round classification is blocked for all individual plant species. The mangroves (red, black, white, buttonwood) are present year-round; that is established by regional ecology, not computed from frequency tags.

Mangrove estuary

The four mangrove species of the estuary

Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) prop roots

Johannes Zorn (1739–1799) via Wikimedia Commons · Public Domain

Red mangrove · Estuary edge

Red mangrove

Rhizophora mangle details → LC → Uncommon in records · year-round presence (ecology) Last reported: via climatology

The outermost mangrove, growing directly into the water on distinctive arching prop roots. The root network creates underwater habitat — nursery for juvenile fish and refuge for invertebrates. Propagules (torpedo-shaped seedlings) drop and float until lodging in shallow sediment.

IUCN statusLeast Concern

ZoneOpen-water edge

Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) pneumatophores

Codiferous / English Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Black mangrove · Intertidal mudflat

Black mangrove

Avicennia germinans details → LC → Uncommon in records · year-round presence (ecology) Last reported: via climatology

Identifiable by the dense carpet of pneumatophores — pencil-like aerial roots emerging from the mud. Tolerates higher salinity than red or white mangrove. Salt-secreting glands give leaves a crystalline appearance.

IUCN statusLeast Concern

ID keyPneumatophore carpet

Roger Culos via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

White mangrove · Mid-estuary

White mangrove

Laguncularia racemosa details → LC → Uncommon in records · year-round presence (ecology) Last reported: via climatology

Mid-estuary species growing between red and buttonwood zones. Lacks prop roots; smooth, pale-green leaves with two glands at the base of the blade are the clearest ID feature.

IUCN statusLeast Concern

ID keyGlands at leaf base

Mason Brock (Masebrock) via Wikimedia Commons · Public Domain

Buttonwood · Inland fringe

Buttonwood mangrove

Conocarpus erectus details → LC → Uncommon · Apr peak · 33 records Last reported: via climatology

Innermost mangrove associate occupying the landward fringe, transitioning into coastal dry forest. Dense canopy provides nesting habitat for herons and egrets. Small cone-like fruits give it its common name. 33 GBIF observations in the area.

IUCN statusLeast Concern

ZoneLandward fringe

Contribute observations

iNaturalist and the Seek app are the most effective ways to document the plant life at Saladita. Research-grade iNaturalist observations go directly into GBIF, the global biodiversity database, and contribute to long-term records for this coastline.

How to contribute: photograph the plant in good light, noting any leaf detail, flowers, or fruit. Submit via the iNaturalist app for community identification.

iNaturalist Mexico — add observations, browse local species lists, connect with botanists and naturalists active along the Guerrero coast.

Add an observation

Seek app (iNaturalist) identifies plants from your camera in real time — no internet required for identification. Useful in the field at Saladita where mobile data can be unreliable.

Every observation in this 25 km corridor helps build a more complete picture of the coastal flora. Mangrove health surveys, in particular, benefit from citizen-science documentation of prop-root density and canopy extent over time.

Observation record

Most-observed plant species (2000–2025)

Combined iNaturalist (research-grade) and GBIF records within 25 km of La Saladita. 671 plant species recorded across 3,645 observations. Note that GBIF's kingdom Plantae includes marine algae — the most-counted organisms in this dataset by sheer survey-effort bias; see methodology note below.

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The complete record

Every documented plant.

The curated cards above are the signatures. Below is the full list — every plant species with a research-grade iNaturalist record within 50 km of La Saladita. Type to filter; tap any card for the full species page.

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Methodology & sources

iNaturalist (primary): iNaturalist Observations API, taxon_id=47126 (kingdom Plantae), lat 17.5897°N / lng -101.4317°W, radius 25 km, research-grade quality grade only. Paginated at 200 records per page; 2,150 records loaded. iNaturalist is preferred for plants because records are image-documented and community-verified, making species-level identification more reliable.
GBIF (supplementary): GBIF Occurrence Search API, taxonKey=6 (kingdom Plantae), bounding box 17.36–17.82°N / -101.68–-101.18°W, years 2000–2025, hasCoordinate=true. iNaturalist-origin GBIF records are excluded (already counted above). 1,495 non-iNat GBIF records loaded. GBIF taxonKey=6 includes marine algae (Rhodophyta, Chlorophyta, etc.) — the observed dominance of algae species in the top-observed list reflects GBIF herbarium survey effort in the marine zone, not their ecological importance relative to vascular plants.
Deduplication: iNaturalist records propagated to GBIF are counted once (iNaturalist source). Records are tagged by source; duplicates are filtered at the GBIF query stage by excluding records with "inaturalist" in the dataset name.
Notable groups: Mangrove, palm, cacti, dry-forest, and coastal species lists are curated from published botanical surveys of the Guerrero Pacific coast and are not limited to records in the digital databases. The four mangrove species are documented in herbarium collections from the region.
Sparse-data policy: If combined observations fall below 20, the page surfaces an explicit warning. With n=3,645 records, the dataset is adequate for species-level frequency analysis, though absolute abundance estimates are not appropriate.
Recent sightings widget: Calls the live iNaturalist API for research-grade observations within 25 km, last 90 days. Results include photos where available (iNaturalist CC-licensed imagery).
IUCN status: The four mangrove species listed here are currently Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mangroves as a habitat type face ongoing pressure from coastal development and aquaculture; individual species assessments should be consulted for current regional status.

Data last refreshed: —