The data consists of four vascular plant species lists, one per study site. The site selection is based on the four study areas of the DFG Priority Program 1803 "EarthShape - Earth Surface Shaping by Biota” (www.earthshape.net), namely: arid climate National Park Pan de Azúcar, semi-arid climate Private Reserve Santa Gracia, mediterranean climate National Park La Campana and humid-temperate climate National Park Nahuelbuta in Chile, South America. Each list is a table with (mostly) terrestrial vascular plant species names that have been reported in a variety of sources at the selected sites and the corresponding administrative or biogeographical regions of Chile.

The available literature sources varied from specific national park flora lists to Chilean flora books and catalogues and thus, the present lists represent a potential vegetation for the EarthShape study areas. Each table includes the plants’ Latin name, clade taxonomy, the plant growth form as well as the origin. The taxonomy of the vegetation species was updated to the taxonomic information available up to August 2023 from Chilean and South American vascular flora lists.

The DFG Priority Program 1803 "EarthShape - Earth Surface Shaping by Biota" (2016-2022; https://www.earthshape.net/) explored between scientific disciplines and includes geoscientists and biologists to study from different viewpoints the complex question how microorganisms, animals, and plants influence the shape and development of the Earth’s surface over time scales from the present-day to the young geologic past. All study sites are located in the north-to-south trending Coastal Cordillera mountains of Chile, South America. These sites span from the Atacama Desert in the north to the Araucaria forests approximately 1300 km to the south. The site selection contains a large ecological and climate gradient ranging from very dry to humid climate conditions.