Compilation overview and the phase-specific outcomes of Flora of Kenya

doi:10.17520/biods.2025423

Abstract

Abstract:

Background & Aims: As the first overseas national flora project fully funded by Chinese Academy of Sciences, Flora of Kenya is a collaborative project organized by Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences and National Museum of Kenya, involving more than 180 researchers from over 20 institutions. The project aims to systematically document over 7,000 species of vascular plants in Kenya, with a total of 31 planned volumes.
Review Results: Following a “co-compilation and joint publication” model, the project has organized and conducted over 60 joint Sino-Kenyan field expeditions, collected more than 12,000 specimens, discovered and published 22 new species (included 1 new variety), and completed two volumes—Rubiaceae and Orchidaceae, successively. The achievement has been recognized as “an important contribution to biodiversity conservation”. Notably, the Orchidaceae volume was presented as a national gift, symbolizing a flagship outcome of China-Africa scientific cooperation.
Conclusion: Through technology transfer, knowledge sharing, and capacity building, the project establishes a new paradigm for South-South cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, enhancing China’s leadership role in global biodiversity research and conservation.

Key words: biodiversity, plant taxonomy, flora, Africa, international cooperation

Neng Wei, Yadong Zhou, Caifeng Zhang, Shengwei Wang, Guangwan Hu, Geoffrey Mwachala, Qingfeng Wang. Compilation overview and the phase-specific outcomes of Flora of Kenya[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2026, 34(5): 25423.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2025423

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2026/V34/I5/25423

Figures/Tables 1

References 53

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新类群 New taxa	科名 Family name	属名 Genus name	来源 Reference
肯尼亚景天 Sedum keniense Y. D. Zhou, G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	景天科 Crassulaceae	景天属 Crassula	Zhou et al., 2016a
近革叶马㼎儿 Zehneria subcoriacea Y. D. Zhou & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Zhou et al., 2016b
有棱蒴莲 Adenia angulosa G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	西番莲科 Passifloraceae	蒴莲属 Adenia	Ngumbau et al., 2017
肯尼亚锡生藤 Cissampelos keniensis Y. D. Zhou & Q. F. Wang	防己科 Menispermaceae	锡生藤属 Cissampelos	Zhou et al., 2017b
白花拟堇菜凤仙 Impatiens pseudoviola var. alba G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	凤仙花科 Balsaminaceae	凤仙花属 Impatiens	钟志祥等, 2017
长花马㼎儿 Zehneria longiflora G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Wei et al., 2017
钩叶芦荟 Aloe uncinata L. E. Newton & Wabuyele	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Newton & Wabuyele, 2018
拉巴伊姊妹芦荟 Aloe zygorabaiensis L. E. Newton & Wabuyele	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Newton & Wabuyele, 2018
肯尼亚膜叶铁角蕨 Hymenasplenium kenyense Li Bing Zhang, K. W. Xu & Kamau	铁角蕨科 Aspleniaceae	膜叶铁角蕨属 Hymenasplenium	Xu et al., 2019
丹尼尔多穗兰 Polystachya danielana G. W. Hu, W. C. Huang & Q. F. Wang	兰科 Orchidaceae	多穗兰属 Polystachya	Tian et al., 2019
块茎马㼎儿 Zehneria tuberifera G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Watuma et al., 2019
努特瓦芦荟 Aloe ngutwaensis T. Mwadime & Matheka	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Matheka et al., 2020
奇农多巴豆 Croton kinondoensis G. W. Hu, Ngumbau & Q. F. Wang	大戟科 Euphorbiaceae	巴豆属 Croton	Ngumbau et al., 2020c
蛛形硫桑 Dorstenia arachniformis Matheka, Malombe, T. Mwadime & Mwachala	桑科 Moraceae	硫桑属 Dorstenia	Malombe et al., 2020
埃尔贡悦猴瓜 Peponium elgonense N. Wei, G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	悦猴瓜属 Peponium	Mutie et al., 2020
大苞马㼎儿 Zehneria grandibracteata G. W. Hu, N. Wei & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Wei et al., 2020
单果马㼎儿 Zehneria monocarpa G. W. Hu, Ngumbau & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Ngumbau et al., 2020b
火山岩大戟 Euphorbia mbuinzauensis N. Wei, Mwachala, G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	大戟科 Euphorbiaceae	大戟属 Euphorbia	Wei et al., 2021
滨海豆腐柴 Premna mwadimei Ngumbau & G. W. Hu	唇形科 Lamiaceae	豆腐柴属 Premna	Ngumbau et al., 2021
基安贡贝彩列当 Harveya kiangombensis Ngugi, Kirika & Mwachala	列当科 Orobanchaceae	彩列当属 Harveya	Ngugi et al., 2022
安德里亚娜芦荟 Aloe nderiana Wabuyele & L. E. Newton	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Wabuyele & Newton, 2023
溪崖芦荟 Aloe rupestorrens Wabuyele & Sus. Br.	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Wabuyele & Brown, 2025

新类群 New taxa	科名 Family name	属名 Genus name	来源 Reference
肯尼亚景天 Sedum keniense Y. D. Zhou, G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	景天科 Crassulaceae	景天属 Crassula	Zhou et al., 2016a
近革叶马㼎儿 Zehneria subcoriacea Y. D. Zhou & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Zhou et al., 2016b
有棱蒴莲 Adenia angulosa G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	西番莲科 Passifloraceae	蒴莲属 Adenia	Ngumbau et al., 2017
肯尼亚锡生藤 Cissampelos keniensis Y. D. Zhou & Q. F. Wang	防己科 Menispermaceae	锡生藤属 Cissampelos	Zhou et al., 2017b
白花拟堇菜凤仙 Impatiens pseudoviola var. alba G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	凤仙花科 Balsaminaceae	凤仙花属 Impatiens	钟志祥等, 2017
长花马㼎儿 Zehneria longiflora G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Wei et al., 2017
钩叶芦荟 Aloe uncinata L. E. Newton & Wabuyele	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Newton & Wabuyele, 2018
拉巴伊姊妹芦荟 Aloe zygorabaiensis L. E. Newton & Wabuyele	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Newton & Wabuyele, 2018
肯尼亚膜叶铁角蕨 Hymenasplenium kenyense Li Bing Zhang, K. W. Xu & Kamau	铁角蕨科 Aspleniaceae	膜叶铁角蕨属 Hymenasplenium	Xu et al., 2019
丹尼尔多穗兰 Polystachya danielana G. W. Hu, W. C. Huang & Q. F. Wang	兰科 Orchidaceae	多穗兰属 Polystachya	Tian et al., 2019
块茎马㼎儿 Zehneria tuberifera G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Watuma et al., 2019
努特瓦芦荟 Aloe ngutwaensis T. Mwadime & Matheka	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Matheka et al., 2020
奇农多巴豆 Croton kinondoensis G. W. Hu, Ngumbau & Q. F. Wang	大戟科 Euphorbiaceae	巴豆属 Croton	Ngumbau et al., 2020c
蛛形硫桑 Dorstenia arachniformis Matheka, Malombe, T. Mwadime & Mwachala	桑科 Moraceae	硫桑属 Dorstenia	Malombe et al., 2020
埃尔贡悦猴瓜 Peponium elgonense N. Wei, G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	悦猴瓜属 Peponium	Mutie et al., 2020
大苞马㼎儿 Zehneria grandibracteata G. W. Hu, N. Wei & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Wei et al., 2020
单果马㼎儿 Zehneria monocarpa G. W. Hu, Ngumbau & Q. F. Wang	葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae	马㼎儿属 Zehneria	Ngumbau et al., 2020b
火山岩大戟 Euphorbia mbuinzauensis N. Wei, Mwachala, G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang	大戟科 Euphorbiaceae	大戟属 Euphorbia	Wei et al., 2021
滨海豆腐柴 Premna mwadimei Ngumbau & G. W. Hu	唇形科 Lamiaceae	豆腐柴属 Premna	Ngumbau et al., 2021
基安贡贝彩列当 Harveya kiangombensis Ngugi, Kirika & Mwachala	列当科 Orobanchaceae	彩列当属 Harveya	Ngugi et al., 2022
安德里亚娜芦荟 Aloe nderiana Wabuyele & L. E. Newton	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Wabuyele & Newton, 2023
溪崖芦荟 Aloe rupestorrens Wabuyele & Sus. Br.	阿福花科 Asphodelaceae	芦荟属 Aloe	Wabuyele & Brown, 2025