A checklist of the vascular plants of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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PK-277-001_article-193807_en_1.pdf
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Resource type
Journal article
Creator (person)
Meerts, Pierre
Ballings, Petra
Barberá, Patricia
Bauters, Kenneth
Beentje, Henk
Cheek, Martin
Couvreur, Thomas L. P.
Damen, Theo H. J.
de Almeida, Rafael Felipe
De Block, Petra
de la Estrella, Manuel
Dessein, Steven
Engledow, Henry
Fischer, Eberhard
Gautier, Laurent
Haigh, Anna
Harris, David J.
Hetterscheid, Wilbert
Jongkind, Carel C. H.
Lachenaud, Olivier
Larridon, Isabel
Ley, Alexandra
Maurin, Olivier
Mayo, Simon J.
Mbandu Luzolawo, Pélagie
Moafo Tchioffo, Chanelle
Morel, Jeremie
Mwanga Mwanga, Ithe
Pellegrini, Marco O. O.
Quintanar, Alejandro
Reynders, Marc
Robbrecht, Elmar
Rusaati, Butoto Imani wa
Simões, Ana R. G.
Sosef, Marc S. M.
Stévart, Tariq
Stone, Robert D.
Sukhorukov, Alexander P.
van der Zon, Ton
Verstraete, Brecht
Wiland-Szymańska, Justyna
Xanthos, Martin
Zuloaga, Fernando
Date published
June 29, 2026
Abstract
A checklist of the vascular flora of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been assembled, based on literature, online databases, and herbarium collections. It includes 10,260 species (38 lycophytes, 347 monilophytes, 16 gymnosperms, and 9,859 angiosperms), belonging to 246 families. The five largest families are Fabaceae (11.8% of specific richness), followed by Rubiaceae (6.7%), Asteraceae (6.6%), Poaceae (6.1%), and Orchidaceae (5.6%). Strict endemics of the DRC amount to 1,099 species, i.e., 10.7%. Families represented by > 120 species and comprising a high proportion of endemics include Commelinaceae (endemism rate: 24%), Euphorbiaceae (21%), Asteraceae (16%), and Fabaceae (16%). A total of 461 introduced species are recorded outside cultivation in the country, i.e., 4.5% of the total flora. Solanaceae, Brassicaceae, and Amaranthaceae stand out with their higher-than-average proportions of introduced species. Herbs represent the most frequent life form (54%), followed by (sub)shrubs (17%), trees (14.5%), climbers (10%), and epiphytes (4%). The IUCN conservation status was retrieved for 2,633 species (25.7%), of which two species are extinct and 448 (17%) are assigned to a threat category (CR [Critically Endangered]: 36; EN [Endangered]: 184; VU [Vulnerable]: 228). IUCN status was retrieved for 184 (17%) of the endemic species, of which 135 (73%) are considered extinct or threatened.
Project(s)
Priority 4: Accelerated Taxonomy
Science Operations
Priority 1: Ecosystem Stewardship
Funder
| Funder name | Awards |
European Commission, European Union | 871043 |
Research Council Flanders, Belgium | I001625N |
Journal title
PhytoKeys
Volume
277
Publisher
Pensoft Publishers
Place of publication
Sofia, Bulgaria
ISSN
1314-2011
eISSN
1314-2003
Date accepted
May 30, 2026
Official URL
Rights statement
In Copyright
Additional information
IF = 1.5 (2025)