A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South Africa

A comprehensive checklist of indigenous flora for the Richtersveld National Park, South Africa, reveals a high diversity of 1077 vascular plant taxa, including 815 dicotyledons and 246 monocotyledons. The study, based on over 3000 new herbarium vouchers and extensive specimen analysis, identified 99 indigenous families and 392 genera, with Asteraceae and Aizoaceae being the most prominent. Notably, seven species were deemed extinct—four due to diamond mining and three after recent droughts (2014–2022). The research also documented 170 taxa of conservation concern, including 29 endangered and 21 critically endangered species on the South African Red List, alongside 38 endemic and 101 near-endemic taxa. This baseline data supports targeted conservation efforts by linking species to their habitat preferences and distribution, aiding in monitoring and protection strategies for this biogeographically unique arid landscape.

van Wyk, P., Bezuidenhout, H., & Jürgens, N. (2024). A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South Africa. Koedoe, 66(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v66i1.1822