Mascarenes

The flora shows affinities with that of nearby islands, Madagascar and the Mascarenes, as well as with mainland Africa and Asia.

Granitic Seychelles forests 2008

The volcanic islands have high peaks that in the recent past were covered by dense forest; indeed, the Comoros and the Mascarenes are sometimes subjected to very high levels of rainfall (up to 6,000 millimeters per year on Réunion).

Biological diversity in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands 2008

For example, the true heathers in the genus Erica are also represented in the Mascarenes and East Africa, but have undergone amazing speciation in Madagascar.

Madagascar ericoid thickets 2008

On the Mascarenes, there is evidence to suggest that the extinction spasm of much of the native megafauna was directly related to hunting.

Biological diversity in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands 2008

The Indian Ocean islands are composed of a range of relatively recent volcanic islands (the Mascarenes and the Comoros), fragments of continental material (the main group of the Seychelles), and the coral cays of the Amirantes and the atolls of the Farquhar, Cosmoledo, and Aldabra groups, as well as the five Iles Eparses.

Biological diversity in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands 2008

While the Mascarenes still support many endemic species, they are as well known for the large number of species that have become extinct since 1600.

Mascarene forests 2008

The Seychellian species of Impatiens, Psederanthemum, and Rothmannia are more closely related to species found on the African continent then they are to species that live on Madagascar and the Mascarenes.

Granitic Seychelles forests 2008

Over 55 endemic species are currently threatened, and 32 have already gone extinct, mainly from the Mascarenes.

Biological diversity in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands 2008

Fagueora y Mascarenes y Lampourdos y Souza, the governor of Buenos

Candide 2007

The Mascarenes have about 1,300 vascular plant species, of which 585 are endemics, the Comoros have about 1,000 species (150 endemic), and there are about 310 species in the Seychelles of which 75 are endemic.

Western Indian Ocean Islands and biodiversity 2007