How many known vascular plant species are there in the world? An integration of multiple global plant databases

doi:10.17520/biods.2022254

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims: Despite that vascular plants constitute an important component of overall global biodiversity and have been studied well over two centuries, the questions of “How many species of vascular plants are there in the world and how many of them have been discovered and described?” remain open. Here, we address the second of the two questions.
Method: We synthesized four global plant databases.
Results & Conclusions: Our study shows that for the entire global flora of vascular plants (including natural hybrids), 376,366 species have been discovered and validly described. When natural hybrids are excluded, the global flora includes 369,054 species of vascular plant species, of which pteridophytes (ferns and lycophytes), gymnosperms and angiosperms have 13,810, 1,172 and 354,072 species, respectively. The number of vascular plant species derived from our study is larger than any of the other four databases by at least 17,700 species.

Key words: angiosperm, flowering plant, gymnosperm, lycophyte, pteridophyte, species diversity

Hong Qian, Jian Zhang, Jingchao Zhao. How many known vascular plant species are there in the world? An integration of multiple global plant databases[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2022, 30(7): 22254.

Add to citation manager EndNote|Ris|BibTeX

URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2022254

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2022/V30/I7/22254

Figures/Tables 1

References 13

[1]	Borsch T, Berendsohn W, Dalcin E, Delmas M, Demissew S, Elliott A, Fritsch P, Fuchs A, Geltman D, Güner A, Haevermans T, Knapp S, Roux MM, Loizeau PA, Miller C, Miller J, Miller JT, Palese R, Paton A, Parnell J, Pendry C, Qin HN, Sosa V, Sosef M, Raab-Straube E, Ranwashe F, Raz L, Salimov R, Smets E, Thiers B, Thomas W, Tulig M, Ulate W, Ung V, Watson M, Jackson PW, Zamora N (2020) World Flora Online: Placing taxonomists at the heart of a definitive and comprehensive global resource on the world's plants. Taxon, 69, 1311-1341. DOI URL
[2]	Angiosperm Phylogeny Group(2016) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 181, 1-20. DOI URL
[3]	Cayuela L, Granzow-de la Cerda Í, Albuquerque FS, Golicher DJ (2012) Taxonstand: An R package for species names standardisation in vegetation databases. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 3, 1078-1083. DOI URL
[4]	Cheek M, Nic Lughadha E, Kirk P, Lindon H, Carretero J, Looney B, Douglas B, Haelewaters D, Gaya E, Llewellyn T, Ainsworth AM, Gafforov Y, Hyde K, Crous P, Hughes M, Walker BE, Campostrini Forzza R, Wong KM, Niskanen T (2020) New scientific discoveries: Plants and fungi. Plants, People, Planet, 2, 371-388. DOI URL
[5]	Christenhusz MJM, Byng JW (2016) The number of known plants species in the world and its annual increase. Phytotaxa, 261, 201. DOI URL
[6]	Freiberg M, Winter M, Gentile A, Zizka A, Muellner-Riehl AN, Weigelt A, Wirth C (2020) LCVP, The Leipzig catalogue of vascular plants, a new taxonomic reference list for all known vascular plants. Scientific Data, 7, 416. DOI PMID
[7]	Hassler M (2019) World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World (version Nov. 2018). In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. 2019 Annual Checklist (eds Roskov Y, Ower G, Orrell T, Nicolson D, Bailly N, Kirk PM, Bourgoin T, DeWalt RE, Decock W, Nieukerken E van, Zarucchi J, Penev L), http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2019/details/species/id/327754a53d1d6be643f32eedfc8a2958.
[8]	Gardens R Kew (2016) The State of the World’s Plants Report 2016. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
[9]	Kindt R (2020) WorldFlora: An R package for exact and fuzzy matching of plant names against the World Flora Online taxonomic backbone data. Applications in Plant Sciences, 8, e11388.
[10]	Lughadha EN, Govaerts R, Belyaeva I, Black N, Lindon H, Allkin R, Magill RE, Nicolson N (2016) Counting counts: Revised estimates of numbers of accepted species of flowering plants, seed plants, vascular plants and land plants with a review of other recent estimates. Phytotaxa, 272, 82. DOI URL
[11]	Paton A, Brummitt N, Govaerts R, Harman K, Hinchcliffe S, Allkin R, Nic Lughadha E, Puentes F (2008) Towards Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation: A working list of all known plant species-Progress and prospects. Taxon, 57, 602-611.
[12]	Pimm SL, Joppa LN (2015) How many plant species are there, where are they, and at what rate are they going extinct? Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 100, 170-176. DOI URL
[13]	Schuettpelz E, Schneider H, Smith AR, Hovenkamp P, Prado J, Rouhan G, Salino A, Sundue M, Almeida TE, Parris B, Sessa EB, Field AR, de Gasper AL, Rothfels CJ, Windham MD, Lehnert M, Dauphin B, Ebihara A, Lehtonen S, Schwartsburd PB, Metzgar J, Zhang LB, Kuo LY, Brownsey PJ, Kato M, Arana MD, Assis FC, Barker MS, Barrington DS, Chang HM, Chang YH, Chao YS, Chen CW, Chen DK, Chiou WL, Dittrich VAD, Duan YF, Dubuisson JY, Farrar DR, Fawcett S, Galan JMGY, Goes-Neto LAD, Grant JR, Grusz AL, Haufler C, Hauk W, He H, Hennequin S, Hirai RY, Huiet L, Kessler M, Korall P, Labiak PH, Larsson A, Leon B, Li CX, Li FW, Link-Perez M, Liu HM, Lu NT, Meza-Torres EI, Miao XY, Moran R, Mynssen CM, Nagalingum N, Ollgaard B, Paul AM, Pereira JBD, Perrie LR, Ponce M, Ranker TA, Schulz C, Shinohara W, Shmakov A, Sigel EM, de Souza FS, Sylvestre LD, Testo W, Triana-Moreno LA, Tsutsumi C, Tuomisto H, Valdespino IA, Vasco A, Viveros RS, Weakley A, Wei R, Weststrand S, Wolf PG, Yatskievych G, Xu XG, Yan YH, Zhang L, Zhang XC, Zhou XM (2016) A community- derived classification for extant lycophytes and ferns. Journal of Systematics and Evolution, 54, 563-603. DOI URL

目 Order	物种数量 Number of species		目 Order	物种数量 Number of species
目 Order	包括杂交种 Incl. hybrid	排除杂交种 Excl. hybrid	目 Order	包括杂交种 Incl. hybrid	排除杂交种 Excl. hybrid
蕨类植物 Pteridophyte			缨子木目 Crossosomatales	77	77
桫椤目 Cyatheales	793	782	葫芦目 Cucurbitales	3,232	3,215
木贼目 Equisetales	45	35	五桠果目 Dilleniales	567	567
里白目 Gleicheniales	177	173	薯蓣目 Dioscoreales	909	907
膜蕨目 Hymenophyllales	637	634	川续断目 Dipsacales	1,471	1,432
水韭目 Isoetales	208	203	杜鹃花目 Ericales	14,638	14,445
石松目 Lycopodiales	522	513	南鼠刺目 Escalloniales	154	147
合囊蕨目 Marattiales	151	151	豆目 Fabales	26,412	26,301
瓶尔小草目 Ophioglossales	132	128	壳斗目 Fagales	1,670	1,435
紫萁目 Osmundales	26	24	丝缨花目 Garryales	27	27
水龙骨目 Polypodiales	10,560	10,123	龙胆目 Gentianales	23,687	23,600
松叶蕨目 Psilotales	19	19	牻牛儿苗目 Geraniales	953	934
槐叶蘋目 Salviniales	82	81	大叶草目 Gunnerales	67	66
莎草蕨目 Schizaeales	224	213	腺椒树目 Huerteales	30	30
卷柏目 Selaginellales	731	731	茶茱萸目 Icacinales	187	187
裸子植物 Gymnosperm			唇形目 Lamiales	29,365	28,447
柏目 Cupressales	458	441	樟目 Laurales	3,955	3,954
苏铁目 Cycadales	376	375	百合目 Liliales	1,897	1,876
银杏目 Ginkgoales	1	1	木兰目 Magnoliales	3,565	3,542
买麻藤目 Gnetales	120	117	金虎尾目 Malpighiales	20,197	19,749
松目 Pinales	262	238	锦葵目 Malvales	7,770	7,605
被子植物 Angiosperm			水螅花目 Metteniusales	66	66
菖蒲目 Acorales	2	2	桃金娘目 Myrtales	15,400	15,203
泽泻目 Alismatales	4,832	4,729	睡莲目 Nymphaeales	109	101
无油樟目 Amborellales	1	1	酢浆草目 Oxalidales	2,164	2,160
伞形目 Apiales	6,400	6,377	露兜树目 Pandanales	1,699	1,698
冬青目 Aquifoliales	770	766	盔被花目 Paracryphiales	42	42
棕榈目 Arecales	2,814	2,784	无叶莲目 Petrosaviales	4	4
天门冬目 Asparagales	42,236	40,736	苦榄木目 Picramniales	57	57
菊目 Asterales	41,868	41,459	胡椒目 Piperales	4,512	4,512
木兰藤目 Austrobaileyales	91	91	禾本目 Poales	25,379	24,667
红珊藤目 Berberidopsidales	4	4	山龙眼目 Proteales	2,085	2,080
紫草目 Boraginales	3,711	3,674	毛茛目 Ranunculales	6,328	6,207
十字花目 Brassicales	5,502	5,393	蔷薇目 Rosales	11,985	11,428
绒球花目 Bruniales	90	90	檀香目 Santalales	2,636	2,632
黄杨目 Buxales	135	135	无患子目 Sapindales	7,071	7,036
白樟目 Canellales	129	129	虎耳草目 Saxifragales	3,359	3,134
石竹目 Caryophyllales	15,362	15,020	茄目 Solanales	5,493	5,469
卫矛目 Celastrales	1,437	1,437	昆栏树目 Trochodendrales	2	2
金鱼藻目 Ceratophyllales	7	7	黄漆姑目 Vahliales	5	5
金粟兰目 Chloranthales	75	75	葡萄目 Vitales	1,105	1,101
鸭跖草目 Commelinales	959	956	姜目 Zingiberales	2,999	2,986
山茱萸目 Cornales	744	731	蒺藜目 Zygophyllales	343	343

目 Order	物种数量 Number of species		目 Order	物种数量 Number of species
目 Order	包括杂交种 Incl. hybrid	排除杂交种 Excl. hybrid	目 Order	包括杂交种 Incl. hybrid	排除杂交种 Excl. hybrid
蕨类植物 Pteridophyte			缨子木目 Crossosomatales	77	77
桫椤目 Cyatheales	793	782	葫芦目 Cucurbitales	3,232	3,215
木贼目 Equisetales	45	35	五桠果目 Dilleniales	567	567
里白目 Gleicheniales	177	173	薯蓣目 Dioscoreales	909	907
膜蕨目 Hymenophyllales	637	634	川续断目 Dipsacales	1,471	1,432
水韭目 Isoetales	208	203	杜鹃花目 Ericales	14,638	14,445
石松目 Lycopodiales	522	513	南鼠刺目 Escalloniales	154	147
合囊蕨目 Marattiales	151	151	豆目 Fabales	26,412	26,301
瓶尔小草目 Ophioglossales	132	128	壳斗目 Fagales	1,670	1,435
紫萁目 Osmundales	26	24	丝缨花目 Garryales	27	27
水龙骨目 Polypodiales	10,560	10,123	龙胆目 Gentianales	23,687	23,600
松叶蕨目 Psilotales	19	19	牻牛儿苗目 Geraniales	953	934
槐叶蘋目 Salviniales	82	81	大叶草目 Gunnerales	67	66
莎草蕨目 Schizaeales	224	213	腺椒树目 Huerteales	30	30
卷柏目 Selaginellales	731	731	茶茱萸目 Icacinales	187	187
裸子植物 Gymnosperm			唇形目 Lamiales	29,365	28,447
柏目 Cupressales	458	441	樟目 Laurales	3,955	3,954
苏铁目 Cycadales	376	375	百合目 Liliales	1,897	1,876
银杏目 Ginkgoales	1	1	木兰目 Magnoliales	3,565	3,542
买麻藤目 Gnetales	120	117	金虎尾目 Malpighiales	20,197	19,749
松目 Pinales	262	238	锦葵目 Malvales	7,770	7,605
被子植物 Angiosperm			水螅花目 Metteniusales	66	66
菖蒲目 Acorales	2	2	桃金娘目 Myrtales	15,400	15,203
泽泻目 Alismatales	4,832	4,729	睡莲目 Nymphaeales	109	101
无油樟目 Amborellales	1	1	酢浆草目 Oxalidales	2,164	2,160
伞形目 Apiales	6,400	6,377	露兜树目 Pandanales	1,699	1,698
冬青目 Aquifoliales	770	766	盔被花目 Paracryphiales	42	42
棕榈目 Arecales	2,814	2,784	无叶莲目 Petrosaviales	4	4
天门冬目 Asparagales	42,236	40,736	苦榄木目 Picramniales	57	57
菊目 Asterales	41,868	41,459	胡椒目 Piperales	4,512	4,512
木兰藤目 Austrobaileyales	91	91	禾本目 Poales	25,379	24,667
红珊藤目 Berberidopsidales	4	4	山龙眼目 Proteales	2,085	2,080
紫草目 Boraginales	3,711	3,674	毛茛目 Ranunculales	6,328	6,207
十字花目 Brassicales	5,502	5,393	蔷薇目 Rosales	11,985	11,428
绒球花目 Bruniales	90	90	檀香目 Santalales	2,636	2,632
黄杨目 Buxales	135	135	无患子目 Sapindales	7,071	7,036
白樟目 Canellales	129	129	虎耳草目 Saxifragales	3,359	3,134
石竹目 Caryophyllales	15,362	15,020	茄目 Solanales	5,493	5,469
卫矛目 Celastrales	1,437	1,437	昆栏树目 Trochodendrales	2	2
金鱼藻目 Ceratophyllales	7	7	黄漆姑目 Vahliales	5	5
金粟兰目 Chloranthales	75	75	葡萄目 Vitales	1,105	1,101
鸭跖草目 Commelinales	959	956	姜目 Zingiberales	2,999	2,986
山茱萸目 Cornales	744	731	蒺藜目 Zygophyllales	343	343

[1]	Junce Liang, Kaizhi Li, Yehui Tan. Species diversity and distribution of pteropods in the South China Sea [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2026, 34(5): 25487-.
[2]	Jianchao Liang, Shutian Chen, Wenxiang He, Chunni Xiong, Zhenzhou Xu, Yuanxin Huang, Yuanzhihong Liu, Lang Zhang, Huijian Hu. Wild terrestrial vertebrate resources in Guangzhou: Diversity, distribution, and conservation [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2026, 34(5): 25422-.
[3]	Dongpo Xia, Jing Li, Jundong Tian, Zhonghao Huang, Chengfeng Wu, Shiwang Chen, Jinhua Li. Research progress of wild Macaca species in China [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2026, 34(3): 25460-.
[4]	Li Huang, Zhifa Liu, Yuening Gong, Buhang Li, Jian Zhang. Plant community composition and structure of sixteen 1-ha forest dynamics monitoring plots of Nanling Mountains in Guangdong Province [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2026, 34(3): 25357-.
[5]	Tingting Zhou, Haomiao Zhang, Haojie Wang, Jian Liao, Xiaodan Chen, Nan Yang, Bo-Ping Han, Zhenyuan Liu. Geographical patterns and key influence factors of Odonata species diversity in Guangdong Province [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2026, 34(2): 25337-.
[6]	Ying Feng, Feng Song, Guangzhao Jin, Komiljon Tojibaev, Xuejun Ge. Distribution patterns and species diversity of the genus Calligonum in the desert regions of Central Asia [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(8): 25086-.
[7]	Huixia Li, Yu Li, Xin Ning, Xiaochen Li, Tianrui Wang, Yigang Song, Xiling Dai, Sisi Zheng, Xin Zhong. Genetic diversity and genetic structure of Gymnospermium kiangnanense based on chloroplast genome [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(8): 25149-.
[8]	Fengying Wang, Zengyuan Wu, Han Cui, Yinlei Li, Lijuan Deng, Hong Wang, Jie Liu. Species boundaries of cannabina Clade of Urtica in the Third Pole [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(8): 25138-.
[9]	Yang Yang, Rui Zou, Yaqin Qiao, Xiang Meng, Feiyun Tu. The species diversity of terrestrial mammals in Hainan Province, China [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(8): 25044-.
[10]	Yang Zhang, Yanping Wang. A review of the SLOSS debate: Analysis methods, theoretical mechanisms and conservation practices [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(7): 25081-.
[11]	Zhengdong Pan, Xirong Lin, Hua Xue, Zhiying Hu, Hongyi Guo, Ya Zhang, Enuo Wu, Wenqiao Tang. Fish species diversity background and community structure in the main inland water bodies of Shanghai [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(6): 24290-.
[12]	Qiang Fu, Yuting Wang, Yufei Rao, Ligai Huang, Jingjing Wang, Miao Miao, Hongjie Meng. List and distribution of lycophytes and ferns in Hubei Province [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(6): 24449-.
[13]	Wen Peng, Zeshuai Deng, Wenbao Zheng, Lingxuan Gong, Yufeng Zeng, Hao Meng, Jun Chen, Daode Yang. Application of eDNA technology in amphibian surveys: A case study of Hunan Mangshan National Nature Reserve [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(6): 24552-.
[14]	Lulu Zhang, Zhaojie Ren, Ningning Yu, Fengxi Zhao, Zuntian Zhao. List of bryophytes in Gansu Province, China [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(6): 24451-.
[15]	Xiaoqing Wu, Meihui Zhang, Suting Ge, Manshu Li, Liangjun Da, Kun Song, Guochun Shen, Jian Zhang. Spatiotemporal dynamics of woody plant species diversity and aboveground biomass during near-nature forest reconstruction in Shanghai: A case study from the eco-island in Minhang District [J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(5): 24444-.