Format: ORAL

Abubakar Bello1,2,3*, Martin Cheek4, Iain Darbyshire4, George Gosline4, Gwilym Lewis4, Thomas L.P. Couvreur5, Alan Paton4, Isabel Larridon4, Fatima Batul Mukhtar6, Suzanne Mogue4, Carmen Puglisi4, Jean Michel Onana7, Ana Rita Simoes4, David Haris8, Alejandro Quintanar9, Xander van der Burgt4, Olivier Lachenaud10, Bente Klitgard4, David Goyder4, A. Muthama Muasya11, Samaila Samaila Yaradua3, Maria S. Vorontsova4, Anifat O. Bello12, Daniel A. Zhigila13, Marco Schmidt14, Bruce Murphy4, Christian Wirth1,2, Carsten Meyer2, Aletta Bonn2, Christine Frst2, Hazel M. Chapman15, George I. Nodza16, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe16, Alexandra N. Muellner-Riehl1,2*

1Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany 2German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany 3Umaru Musa Yaradua University, Katsina, Nigeria 4Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Herbarium, United Kingdom 5 DIADE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier, France 6Bayero University Kano, Kano State, Nigeria 7University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon 8Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom 9Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, Madrid, Spain 10Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium 11University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa 12University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa 13Gombe State University, Gombe, Nigeria 14Palmengarten und Botanischer Garten Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany 15University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand 16University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Beyond Extrapolations: A Taxonomically-Vetted Checklist of Nigerias Vascular Plants is a new initiative shedding light on the gross underrepresentation of Nigerias plant diversity in major global floristic databases. Current estimates of Nigerias plant diversity rely heavily on out-of-date extrapolations from the Flora of West Tropical Africa, a publication now six decades old. In response to this critical gap, our consortium is spearheading an ambitious effort to compile a comprehensive, taxonomically-verified, and vouchered checklist of all vascular plants in Nigeria. This presentation unveils the significant findings of our research, emphasizing the disparity between existing global databases and the true botanical richness of Nigeria. We present the second and third outputs in a series of publications stemming from this pioneering effort. Using the historical trend of botanical explorations, we demonstrate that there are still many new plant species to be discovered in Nigeria. To achieve a comprehensive description of these new plant species, a significant number of taxonomists will be needed for an extended period. This demonstrates the significance of capacity building as a milestone in implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). It is an urgent priority to find and name these remaining undiscovered species, Red List them, and allocate resources to protect those in need. Recent research has shown that 77% of new plant species at the point of publication today are threatened with extinction. This endeavor serves not only as an update on our progress, but also as a call to action to rectify the prevailing underrepresentation. We offer insights into the challenges faced, methodologies employed, and the significance of our ongoing efforts in advancing botanical research in Nigeria. Our work establishes a robust foundation for understanding Nigerias plant diversity, paving the way for enhanced conservation efforts, sustainable development, and a more comprehensive global understanding of the countrys botanical wealth.