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How many species of flowering plants are there?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Joppa, LN; Roberts, DL; Pimm, SL
Published in: Proceedings. Biological sciences
February 2011

We estimate the probable number of flowering plants. First, we apply a model that explicitly incorporates taxonomic effort over time to estimate the number of as-yet-unknown species. Second, we ask taxonomic experts their opinions on how many species are likely to be missing, on a family-by-family basis. The results are broadly comparable. We show that the current number of species should grow by between 10 and 20 per cent. There are, however, interesting discrepancies between expert and model estimates for some families, suggesting that our model does not always completely capture patterns of taxonomic activity. The as-yet-unknown species are probably similar to those taxonomists have described recently-overwhelmingly rare and local, and disproportionately in biodiversity hotspots, where there are high levels of habitat destruction.

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Published In

Proceedings. Biological sciences

DOI

EISSN

1471-2954

ISSN

0962-8452

Publication Date

February 2011

Volume

278

Issue

1705

Start / End Page

554 / 559

Related Subject Headings

  • Species Specificity
  • Models, Biological
  • Magnoliopsida
  • Biodiversity
  • 41 Environmental sciences
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
  • 11 Medical and Health Sciences
  • 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences
 

Citation

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Joppa, L. N., Roberts, D. L., & Pimm, S. L. (2011). How many species of flowering plants are there? Proceedings. Biological Sciences, 278(1705), 554–559. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.1004
Joppa, Lucas N., David L. Roberts, and Stuart L. Pimm. “How many species of flowering plants are there?Proceedings. Biological Sciences 278, no. 1705 (February 2011): 554–59. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.1004.
Joppa LN, Roberts DL, Pimm SL. How many species of flowering plants are there? Proceedings Biological sciences. 2011 Feb;278(1705):554–9.
Joppa, Lucas N., et al. “How many species of flowering plants are there?Proceedings. Biological Sciences, vol. 278, no. 1705, Feb. 2011, pp. 554–59. Epmc, doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.1004.
Joppa LN, Roberts DL, Pimm SL. How many species of flowering plants are there? Proceedings Biological sciences. 2011 Feb;278(1705):554–559.
Journal cover image

Published In

Proceedings. Biological sciences

DOI

EISSN

1471-2954

ISSN

0962-8452

Publication Date

February 2011

Volume

278

Issue

1705

Start / End Page

554 / 559

Related Subject Headings

  • Species Specificity
  • Models, Biological
  • Magnoliopsida
  • Biodiversity
  • 41 Environmental sciences
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
  • 11 Medical and Health Sciences
  • 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences