Speaker
Description
Africa harbours an exceptional diversity of plant life, yet major knowledge gaps remain regarding both species discovery and species distributions. These limitations, commonly referred to as the Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls, constrain our ability to conduct reliable biogeographical analyses, evaluate conservation priorities, and assess extinction risks.
Here, we present the Database of Vascular Plants of Nigeria (NaijaFLO) as an example of how curated botanical databases can help reduce such gaps. Developed at iDiv in collaboration with an international network of specialists, NaijaFLO provides an expert-reviewed and continuously curated checklist of the vascular flora of Nigeria. The database combines information from major taxonomic reference systems together with herbarium specimens to verify plant names, classifications, and occurrence records. In addition to taxonomic and nomenclatural information, NaijaFLO documents distributional status and growth forms, while ensuring open accessibility through global biodiversity infrastructures.
We highlight the importance of herbarium-based national and regional plant databases as essential tools for addressing biodiversity knowledge gaps across Africa. By harmonising taxonomy, validating occurrence data, and connecting local datasets to international platforms, initiatives such as NaijaFLO contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of African plant diversity and strengthen the foundation for conservation planning and biogeographical research. Expanding herbarium capacity, supporting the next generation of botanists, and encouraging cross-border scientific collaboration will be crucial for advancing comparable efforts throughout the continent.
| Status Group | Senior Scientist |
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