Flora Database of Ethiopia

A comprehensive digital repository of Ethiopia's plant diversity, integrating herbarium collections, type specimens, distribution data, and taxonomic information from global botanical databases.

7,000+ Vascular Plants
150,000+ Specimen Records
3,500+ Type Specimens
12% Endemism

Sources: GBIF [1][2], JSTOR Global Plants [3][6][8], Royal Botanic Gardens Kew [4][7], African Plants Database [5], EBI [9]

7,000+

Total Species

840+

Endemic Species

245

Families

3,500+

Type Specimens

Featured Ethiopian Plant Species

A selection of notable species from the Ethiopian flora

Scientific Name Family Common Name Endemic Conservation Status Vegetation Zone
Hagenia abyssinica Rosaceae Kosso Endemic Vulnerable Montane Forest
Lobelia rhynchopetalum Campanulaceae Giant Lobelia Endemic Near Threatened Afroalpine
Juniperus procera Cupressaceae African Pencil Cedar No Near Threatened Dry Montane Forest
Boswellia papyrifera Burseraceae Frankincense Tree No Near Threatened Acacia-Commiphora
Erythrina brucei Fabaceae Red Hot Poker Tree Endemic Endangered Montane Forest
Podocarpus falcatus Podocarpaceae Yellowwood No Vulnerable Montane Forest
Millettia ferruginea Fabaceae Birbira Endemic Vulnerable Moist Montane Forest
Rosa abyssinica Rosaceae Ethiopian Rose Endemic Least Concern Montane Forest
Ensete ventricosum Musaceae Enset / False Banana No Least Concern Cultivated / Forest
Coffea arabica Rubiaceae Wild Arabica Coffee No Endangered (wild) Moist Montane Forest
Olea europaea ssp. cuspidata Oleaceae Wild Olive No Least Concern Montane Forest
Acacia abyssinica Fabaceae Ethiopian Acacia No Least Concern Woodland
Erica arborea Ericaceae Tree Heather No Least Concern Afroalpine
Kniphofia foliosa Asphodelaceae Abyssinian Red Hot Poker Endemic Least Concern Afroalpine
Dombeya torrida Malvaceae Wild Pear No Least Concern Montane Forest

Global Flora Databases

Major international databases containing Ethiopian plant records

GBIF
150,000+

Global Biodiversity Information Facility specimen records

Ethiopian collections: Herbaria from Ethiopia, Europe, and North America [1][2]

Data types: Preserved specimens, observations, occurrence data

Access GBIF
JSTOR Global Plants
3,500+

Type specimens from Ethiopia [3][6][8]

Contributing herbaria: Kew, BM, K, ETH, WAG, UPS, etc.

Features: High-resolution images of type specimens

Access JSTOR
Kew Plants of the World
7,000+

Species profiles with descriptions, images, and distribution [4][7]

Ethiopian coverage: Complete species list with taxonomic information

Features: Synonyms, descriptions, uses, conservation status

Access POWO
African Plants Database
6,500+

Compiled by CJBG, SANBI, and JSTOR [5]

Features: Nomenclature, synonymy, distribution

Access Database
Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute
~10,000

National herbarium collections and field gene bank data [9]

Access: Physical herbarium in Addis Ababa

Holdings: National collections including type specimens

Visit EBI
Tropicos
~5,000

Missouri Botanical Garden database

Features: Nomenclature, type information, specimen data

Access Tropicos

Herbaria with Ethiopian Collections

Major herbaria holding significant Ethiopian plant specimens [3][6][8]

National Herbarium of Ethiopia (ETH)
80,000+

Location: Addis Ababa University

Significance: Primary repository for Ethiopian flora, type specimens

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
30,000+

Location: London, UK

Significance: Extensive Ethiopian collections from Flora of Ethiopia project [4]

Natural History Museum, London (BM)
15,000+

Location: London, UK

Significance: Historical collections from 19th century expeditions [3]

Uppsala University (UPS)
10,000+

Location: Uppsala, Sweden

Significance: Flora of Ethiopia project partner [6]

Wageningen University (WAG)
8,000+

Location: Netherlands

Significance: African plant collections [8]

Missouri Botanical Garden (MO)
5,000+

Location: St. Louis, USA

Significance: Recent collections from Ethiopian expeditions

Sources: JSTOR Global Plants [3][6][8], Kew [4]

Ethiopian Type Specimens

Over 3,500 type specimens collected from Ethiopia are housed in herbaria worldwide [3][6][8].

Hagenia abyssinica (Bruce) J.F.Gmel.
Bruce, J. #s.n. (1780)

Type: Isotype (BM) [3]

Family: Rosaceae

Lobelia rhynchopetalum Hemsl.
Schimper, W. #1216 (1840)

Type: Holotype (K) [4]

Family: Campanulaceae

Erythrina brucei Schweinf.
Bruce, J. #s.n.

Type: Isotype (BM) [3]

Family: Fabaceae

Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst.
Delile, A.R. #s.n.

Type: Isotype (K, P) [4]

Family: Burseraceae

Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl.
Schimper, W. #1773

Type: Isotype (K, P, WAG) [6]

Family: Cupressaceae

Rosa abyssinica Lindl.
Bruce, J. #s.n.

Type: Holotype (BM) [3]

Family: Rosaceae

Kniphofia foliosa Hochst.
Schimper, W. #1271

Type: Isotype (K, P, WAG) [8]

Family: Asphodelaceae

Millettia ferruginea (Hochst.) Baker
Schimper, W. #1277

Type: Isotype (K, P, WAG) [6]

Family: Fabaceae

Search JSTOR Global Plants for More Type Specimens

Vegetation Types of Ethiopia

Major vegetation zones with characteristic species

Moist Montane Forest
Dry Montane Forest
Afroalpine
Acacia-Commiphora Woodland
Combretum-Terminalia
Desert & Semi-Desert

Afroalpine

Elevation: 3,500-4,500m

Characteristic species: Lobelia rhynchopetalum, Erica arborea, Helichrysum spp., Festuca abyssinica

Endemism: High

Moist Evergreen Montane Forest

Elevation: 1,200-2,500m

Characteristic species: Pouteria adolfi-friedericii, Syzygium guineense, Albizia spp., Millettia ferruginea

Key areas: Kaffa, Sheka, Bale (Harenna)

Dry Evergreen Montane Forest

Elevation: 1,500-3,200m

Characteristic species: Juniperus procera, Podocarpus falcatus, Olea europaea, Hagenia abyssinica

Key areas: Central highlands, Simien Mountains

Acacia-Commiphora Woodland

Elevation: 300-1,800m

Characteristic species: Acacia spp., Commiphora spp., Boswellia papyrifera

Key areas: Ogaden, Borena, Rift Valley

Recent Botanical Expeditions

Bale Mountains Expedition 2024

Collectors: Kew / EBI / AAU

Specimens: 850 collections

New species: 2 potentially new

Kaffa Coffee Forest Survey 2023

Collectors: EBI / JARC

Specimens: 450 collections

Focus: Wild coffee relatives

Simien Mountains Expedition 2023

Collectors: EWCA / AAU

Specimens: 320 collections

Focus: Afroalpine flora

Download Flora Data

Complete Species List
CSV Excel
Endemic Species
CSV Excel
Threatened Species
CSV Excel
Type Specimens
CSV Excel

Botanical Databases & Resources

GBIF
Visit
JSTOR Plants
Visit
Kew POWO
Visit
EBI
Visit
African Plants DB
Visit
Tropicos
Visit
Millennium Seed Bank
Visit
Flora of Ethiopia
Access

Key Publications on Ethiopian Flora

Contribute to Ethiopian Flora Knowledge

Share your botanical observations, research data, or images to help build a comprehensive digital flora of Ethiopia.