Towards an updated checklist of the Libyan flora

Ahmed M H Gawhari,Alastair Culham,Stephen L Jury

doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.338.1.1

Ahmed M H Gawhari, Alastair Culham + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.338.1.1

Copy DOI

Journal: Phytotaxa	Publication Date: Feb 9, 2018
Citations: 3	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Reading, University of Benghazi

Abstract

The Libyan flora was last documented in a series of volumes published between 1976 and 1989. Since then there has been a substantial realignment of family and generic boundaries and the discovery of many new species. The lack of an update or revision since 1989 means that the Libyan Flora is now out of date and requires a reassessment using modern approaches. Here we report initial efforts to provide an updated checklist covering 43 families out of the 150 in the published flora of Libya, including 138 genera and 411 species. Updating the circumscription of taxa to follow current classification results in 11 families (Coridaceae, Guttiferae, Leonticaceae, Theligonaceae, Tiliaceae, Sterculiaceae, Bombacaeae, Sparganiaceae, Globulariaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Illecebraceae) being included in other generally broader and less morphologically well-defined families (APG-IV, 2016). As a consequence, six new families: Hypericaceae, Adoxaceae, Lophiocarpaceae, Limeaceae, Gisekiaceae and Cleomaceae are now included in the Libyan Flora. This update results in those 43 families being represented by 38 accounts. Fifty-five percent of species remain unchanged, the remaining 45% are reclassified at the family, genus or species level based on modern treatments, illustrating the need for this update and the urgent need for a review of the entire floristic treatment of Libya in support of the conservation of Libya’s biodiversity.

Highlights

A knowledge and record of the national flora is key to any country fulfilling its obligations and commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (Raustiala & Victor, 1996)
Fifty-five percent of species remain unchanged, the remaining 45% are reclassified at the family, genus or species level based on modern treatments, illustrating the need for this update and the urgent need for a review of the entire floristic treatment of Libya in support of the conservation of Libya’s biodiversity
Herbarium research To ensure the historic floras were updated to account for modern plant collections and new discoveries, and to estimate the proportion of the flora represented by specimens in Libyan herbaria, herbarium specimens were reviewed and photographed during three extended visits to the Herbaria of Benghazi University (Cyrenaica Herbarium, CYH), Omer Al-Mukhtar University (OMH) and Tripoli University (ULT)

Summary

Introduction

A knowledge and record of the national flora is key to any country fulfilling its obligations and commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (Raustiala & Victor, 1996). Many countries have a poor or incompletely recorded flora. Libya is lucky in that a descriptive flora was written in the 1970s-1980s (Ali, El-Gadi, & Jafri, eds 1976–1989) that provides a good baseline. There are three areas of high biodiversity in Libya that account for >75% of the species diversity: Jabal Nafosa; Jabal Tibesti and Jabal Alakhdar area located in the province of Cyrenaica (Figure 1). A recent study of the flora of Jabal Alakhdar showed high plant diversity (El-Barasi et al, 2003).

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion