The World Flora Online Project

Target 1 of the GSPC calls for "A widely accessible working list of known plant species as a step towards a complete world flora"

The World Flora Online Project has been established in response to Target 1 of the GSPC.

The terms and technical rationale for Target 1 suggest that the Flora should include accepted names and a comprehensive synonymy, building on the results of the previous objectives for Target 1 (dated 2002 - 2010), aimed to develop “a widely accessible working list of known plant species as a step towards a complete world flora.” New knowledge should also be incorporated as it becomes available.  Target 1 of the first phase of the GSPC was achieved at the end of 2010, through The Plant List (www.theplantlist.org).

Establishment of the World Flora Online project

• An initial MOU between Missouri Botanical Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and New York Botanical Garden was signed February 29, 2012.
• The World Flora Online was launched  in India, at an event held during the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in October, 2012
• In July 2012 the first World Flora Online Meeting was held at Missouri Botanical garden, USA

Guide for Contributors

A guide for institutions wishing to contribute data to the WFO can be downloaded here.