Vahinala Project: A Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Madagascar

Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis MO

Investigators

Abstract

The island nation of Madagascar harbors a remarkable flora and fauna, amply justifying its status as a globally recognized priority for biodiversity conservation. However, the inventory, description, and documentation of the Malagasy flora are still very far from complete. A renaissance of taxonomic studies on the flora over the past 25 years has revealed that the true plant diversity of Madagascar has been grossly underestimated. To respond to this dynamic environment, with its exceptionally high rate of new species discovery, the Missouri Botanical Garden and its partners have launched the Vahinala Project: A Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Madagascar. The aim of the project is to create an expedient, up-to-date and authoritative online synthesis of the plants of Madagascar for a diverse group of users, making all information on the flora available through the eFloras Website. The completed Catalogue will provide Species Pages for the Encyclopedia of Life for the ca. 11,000 plant species endemic to Madagascar. Rich digital content, including images and scanned literature, will facilitate identification and future research. By creating a comprehensive, accessible source on the plants of Madagascar, the Vahinala Project will directly contribute to national and international efforts to conserve Madagascar?s natural resources, the ultimate key to sustainable development.