Just in from a week in the field, and off to a climate talk tonite, so some rough thoughts shod over any nuances on the dozens of responses not read. Apologies in advance.
This is surely the project that this falls under:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/flora-of-africa
Note that 20% (1 in 5) of the species are from the Cape Flora, which is relatively well resourced, so perhaps you are really interested in this:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=97392&subview=table&verifiable=any&iconic_taxa=Plantae¬_in_place=123067
(Africa plants = 2.6M - - : Africa plants not in Cape = 1,1M)
I need to point out that in this area of Africa I am as ignorant and stupid as everyone else, so apart from Proteaceae, you wont find me venturing many identifications (in case you have not heard, I dont ID to “plants” - except when reluctantly I have to tell someone that their observation is not a Protea and I dont have a clue beyond dicot (and then I feel a right fool (note the similarity between idiot and dicot) not helping them to family and leaving them stuck in the lowermost branches of the family “tree”).
So what is the challenge here?? What is our goal?
The current status is::
- 1.1M observations.
- 92k (8%) to Order or above - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=any&page=10&iconic_taxa=Plantae&place_id=97392&verifiable=any&lrank=order¬_in_place=123067 - Mission Impossible INDEED!’ (thank heavens only 3% of these are mine). If you are a novice or generalist, then you can help most in this arena
- 55k (5%) to about Family-Tribe level - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=any&iconic_taxa=Plantae&place_id=97392&page=5&verifiable=any&lrank=family¬_in_place=123067&hrank=suborder - if you are a specialist in any group, then please start here first. [dont bother with Proteaceae, they are done except for last week’s input]
That means that we have:
- 159k (14%) identifiable at generic level and needing an ID to species. I guess, this is for the specialists.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=any&iconic_taxa=Plantae&place_id=97392&verifiable=any&hrank=genus&lrank=complex¬_in_place=123067
& - 205k (19%) identified to species level but needing a confirmatory ID for RG.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=needs_id%2Ccasual&iconic_taxa=Plantae&place_id=97392&verifiable=any&hrank=species¬_in_place=123067 [here, you can help with Proteaceae, if you dare!] - 535k Research Grade: Not shoddy at all at at 49%!
OK: so mission impossible!!. What is the goal?
We have a baseline. What is the target?
One request though: can we please put “trees” into a bin for trees. There are people ethusiastic in trees and they may find it useful.
Anyone, interested in focusing on regions: why not try starting here.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/african-biogeographic-regions
(remember to filter for plants).