How lush is Panama’s vegetation?

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute recently found that Panama has more forest landscape variation, meaning “as many or even more tree species”, than even parts of the Amazon.  Scientifically-speaking this is known as “beta-diversity”.  Researchers say there’s more variety among tree species stretching across 50km of Panama, than a 1400km-span in western Amazonia.  The institute concluded trees in Panama vary more across less distance, whereas the forests of the Amazon are generally more uniform, and less diverse.