The Cape Verde Islands dry forests cover the entire volcanic archipelago of Cabo Verde, a cluster of ten islands and five islets in the eastern Atlantic roughly 500 km off the West African coast near Senegal. Despite the "forest" label, the original vegetation was savanna or steppe at lower elevations with semi-desert plants on the driest ground and arid shrubland or dry woodland higher up, where native trees include the dragon's blood tree (Dracaena caboverdeana), the endemic marmulan (Sideroxylon marginatum), and figs and tamarisk. The climate has a dry season from December to July and a warm, wet season from August to November; rainfall is extremely uneven, with some places receiving around 1,200 mm while others go years with almost none, and taller islands wring out more moisture through orographic rain. Long isolation has produced striking endemism, including dozens of endemic flowering plants such as the endemic genus Tornabenea, many endemic geckos and skinks, and the endangered raso lark, yet only about three percent of the ecoregion is protected and its conservation status is rated critical. For gardeners in similar hot, dry climates, the islands' native flora includes ornamental drought-tolerant genera such as Dracaena and the Cape Verde date palm (Phoenix atlantica).
Marker placed inside the RESOLVE 2017 polygon at 15.0°N, 23.6°W.
Climate snapshot for this ecoregion
Climate snapshot not available at this resolution — this ecoregion sits outside our detailed climate coverage (typically Antarctic interior or far-ocean island chains).
At a glance
Dominant biome
Tropical & Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
Realm
Afrotropic
Approximate area
1,762 sq mi
Conservation tier
Nature Imperiled (Dinerstein NNH 4)
About the tropical & subtropical dry broadleaf forests biome
Tropical forests that pass through a pronounced dry season, when many trees drop their leaves to conserve water. They hold high biodiversity but are among the most threatened tropical habitats, sensitive to fire and to clearing for agriculture.
Catalog plants suited to this ecoregion
No catalog plants intersect this ecoregion's zone range. As the catalog grows to cover this region's climate band, suggestions will surface here.
Collections for this ecoregion
No curated collection's plants all fit this ecoregion's zone range. We surface a collection only when every member would grow here — partial fits get filtered out rather than mislead. As the catalog and the curated set both grow, this section will fill in.
Related ecoregions
Other tropical & subtropical dry broadleaf forests ecoregions to explore: