Flora Zambesiaca
The project involves the writing and publishing of a regional Flora for south-central Africa covering Botswana, the Caprivi Strip of Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Starting in 1960 it is designed to provide a catalogue of all plant species of the area, a means to identify them using keys, and an indication of distribution.
Flora Zambesiaca involves the writing and publishing of a regional Flora (around 53 parts) for south-central Africa, covering Botswana, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It started in 1960 and was designed to provide a catalogue of the plant species of the area, a means to identify them using keys, and an indication of distribution. The total Flora is estimated at 10,500 species, of which around 80% has been published to date. It is intended that the flora will be 90% complete by the end of 2012.
A number of partner institutions have been involved over the years, including national herbaria in the region and institutions in Portugal. Many family treatments have been prepared by past and present Kew staff members.
Since 2000, there have been efforts to increase the accessibility of information contained in the printed volumes of the African Floras. All published volumes of Flora Zambesiaca up to 2008 are now available as a fully searchable database on the internet. The database retrieves information for any name and allows the compilation of checklists of taxa for geographical divisions of the flora. Advanced features include filtering on habit, habitat, altitudinal range and endemic status. Dichotomous identification keys are included, but not illustrations.
Post-Flora products such as regional checklists with updated nomenclature and distribution knowledge as well as conservation notes are being planned.
Project Team
Selected CVs
- Mayo, Simon J. (Retired)
- Beentje, Henk J.
- Wilkin, Paul
- Verdcourt, Bernard
- Crawford, Frances M.
- Darbyshire, Iain A.
- Simpson, David
- Paton, Alan
- Hind, D.J. Nicholas
- Lewis, Gwilym P.
- Cheek, Martin R.
- Malcolm Tompkins, Patricia
- Schrire, Brian D.
- Timberlake, Jonathan
- Lock, J. Michael (Retired)
- Bramley, Gemma L.C.
- Harris, Timothy
- Phillips, Sylvia
- Goyder, David J.
- Haigh, Anna L.
- Harvey, Yvette B.
- Vollesen, Kaj
Project Leader: Timberlake, Jonathan
Herbarium, Library, Art & Archives
Henk Beentje, Gemma Bramley, Dick Brummitt, Martin Cheek, Frances Crawford, Iain Darbyshire, David Goyder, Anna Haigh, Timothy Harris, Tivvy Harvey, Nicholas Hind, Isobyl la Croix, Gwilym Lewis, Mike Lock, Simon Mayo, Alan Paton, Sylvia Phillips, Roger Polhill, Brian Schrire, David Simpson, Jonathan Timberlake, Bernard Verdcourt, Kaj Vollesen, Paul Wilkin, Patricia Malcolm-Tompkins
Public Engagement & Learning
Christine Beard, Gina Fullerlove
Project Partners and Collaborators
Belgium
National Botanic Gardens, Meise
Malawi
National Herbarium, Zomba
Mozambique
National Herbarium, Maputo
University Herbarium, Maputo
Namibia
National Botanical Research Institute, Windhoek
Norway
University of Oslo
Portugal
IICT Herbarium, Lisbon
University of Coimbra
South Africa
South African National Biodiversity Institute
Zambia
Mt Makulu Herbarium, Chilanga
Zimbabwe
National Herbarium & Botanic Gardens, Harare
University of Zimbabwe, Harare
Funders
UK
Bentham-Moxon Trust
