This webpage is presently not linked to the dataset….. coming soon!

The aim of this webpage is to provide organized botanical knowledge of the flora of Namibia, that will be useful for other biologists, ecologists, biogeographers, and the large non-professional public.

Over 4000 indigenous seed plants are documented here of which only one is a gymnosperm, the iconic Welwitschia mirabilis (Welwitschiaceae). There are about 700 plants endemic to Namibia and another 600 or more occur just over the country’s borders.

Plant taxonomy, especially in its traditional forms, is going through some bad times and the current tendency for plant names to keep changing is confusing for users of taxonomic information. Some name changes are inevitable and acceptable when based on character-based research, however molecular systematics is leading to re-classification of taxa without consideration of the consequences for other disciplines and regions.

Our taxonomic decisions are based on morphological and distributional data, as well as phylogenetic analyses when available. Name changes merely listed in publications or where distributions or cited specimens were not given, are not followed if we are unable to verify their presence in Namibia. Such names are included as synonyms.

The database

This is part of our BRAHMS database that has been ongoing for more than thirty years documenting the plants of Namibia. Verified and/or new information from literature, herbaria and our extensive field work and collections is added regularly. The information is inconsistent across the accepted species partly because of lack of research on many Namibian taxa.

The database includes information on a variety of aspects of the taxonomy and systematics of Namibian plants, as well as distributions, endemism, protected species, red listing and aspects of interest and importance for other users. The resources include lists of references, synonyms, taxa previously thought to occur in Namibia, etc.

Databasing is boring and seldom (or never) funded. It also produces better results if done by a competent person with an eye on the outputs. Work on this database is not funded and data may not be sold or used for commercial purposes.