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This issue of Plant Ecology & Diversity differs in content from what the reader is accustomed to. It provides a snapshot of plant biology in Latin America and the Caribbean today, represented in a set of papers on botany – in its traditional sense of the discipline – and, in addition, on plant physiology, ecological interactions, invasive species and conservation. The papers are based on presentations made during the X. Latin American Botanical Congress, held in La Serena, Chile between 4 and 10 October 2010. As, for many readers, Latin American botany is little known, we briefly outline the milestones in its development on the continent to provide a context for the collection of papers in this issue.

Background: Myrcianthes coquimbensis is an endangered shrub endemic to Chile. No published account is known about its biology, ecology or threats to its continued existence. Aims: To document the current state of knowledge of M. coquimbensis regarding its geographic distribution, and population and reproductive parameters, and to evaluate threats in its distribution range. Methods: Historical records and recent survey data of 110 localities were used to characterise its known distribution. Plots were established in seven localities to determine the proportion of flowering individuals, recruitment and estimate population size and structure. Finally, levels of post-dispersal seed predation were determined in one locality. Results: The current distribution of M. coquimbensis extends along 82.8 km of the Chilean coast, where the species is mainly threatened by habitat loss. Only 13% of the individuals flowered during 2010, and 66% of these plants lost their entire flower crop due to desiccation. Few seeds (7....

Background: Chile is committed to extending its National System of Protected Areas (NSPA), focusing on eco-regions whose ecosystems are currently under-represented in the NSPA. A newly proposed law aims to create a Service of Biodiversity and Protected Areas that would unify the terrestrial and marine systems. The proposed law would allow the inclusion of private protected areas. Aims: We evaluate the current status of the conservation areas and propose an eco-regional plan that would allow reaching the overall target to bring 10% of all natural ecosystems under protection. Methods: A GAP analysis for all Chilean terrestrial and marine environments considered two protection scenarios: (1) public protected areas only, and (2) a combination of public and private protected areas. Afterwards, a multi-scale MARXAN assessment including 1367 conservation objects was carried out to identify suitable protected areas. Results: Chile does not meet its conservation target in four out of its 11 terrestrial eco-regions...