Baseline Data for the Conservation of Coffee Species (Rubiaceae)
Flowers of Coffea moratii J.-F.Leroy ex A.P.Davis & Rakotonas. Photo: A. Davis
The genus Coffea (coffee) contains the two main species used in the production of the beverage coffee: viz. C. arabica (arabica coffee) and C. canephora (robusta coffee) and considerable research has been undertaken on them. In contrast, relatively little is known about the other c. 100 coffee species, which occur naturally in Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarenes.
The aim of the project Baseline Data for the Conservation of Coffee Species is to play a role in the sustainable development of coffee genetic resources by providing baseline data for in situ and ex situ conservation of wild coffee species. Most coffee species can not be conserved within conventional seed banks and so there is a drive to preserve material in situ within nature reserves, and ex situ in coffee research stations and botanical gardens.
As a first step towards providing critical baseline data we have now produced a complete World Coffee Checklist. Each species/taxon entry includes basic taxonomic data (author, place of publication, type), main literature reference, distribution, ecology, and conservation assessment. The checklist was submitted for publication in 2005 and will be available on the internet in 2007.
The other major resource linked to this project is a specimen database of wild coffee species, containing c. 3,500 records. The database contains geo-referenced specimen data from all major herbaria, including near-complete electronic capture of specimens from Africa and Madagascar, and some capture of specimens from the Mascarenes. The database is linked to a Geographical Information System (GIS), which has the capability to produce accurate distribution maps and conservations assessments.
Ongoing work includes the digitization of line-art, type specimens and photographs, as an aid to species identification.
This project is a joint initiative between Kew and the National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Meise, in collaboration with partners in Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarenes.
Project Team
Project Leader: Davis, Aaron
Herbarium
Diane Bridson, Aaron Davis, Sally Dawson, Justin Moat
Project Partners and Collaborators
Belgium
National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Meise
Cameroon
Université de Yaoundé I
Madagascar
Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza, Antananarivo (PBZT)
Mascarenes
University of Mauritius
Tanzania
Botany Department, University of Dar es Salaam
Funders
UK
Part funded by Kraft Foods, London, England