Resumen
The objective of this work is to show the population structure of V. tiliifolia under natural conditions. The study was conducted in three municipalities in the state of Veracruz, México; through transects of 20 × 100 m (2000 m2), the population structure, density and spatial distribution of natural populations were determined. The edaphic and climatic factors were also determined through soil analysis and database consultation. The data were analyzed by ANOVA. The population structure for the three selected sites showed a type II curve, that is, mostly adults with few seedlings and juveniles. The spatial distribution presented an aggregate type pattern for the seedling and juvenile state categories, as well as a random type pattern for adults. The CPA allows us to visualize that there is a strong correlation between the chemical variables and the availability of some micronutrients; male individuals are the variable that explain the population structure. This shows that the low density of individuals in their early stages, together with the longevity of adult individuals and factors such as low rainfall, forest fires, reproductive biology and exploitation of the species put the persistence of populations at risk in this region.