Sahelian BioProvince

This BioProvince (as defined by Armen Takhtajan) forms a narrow zone some 400 km wide extending from the Red Sea coast of Sudan to the Atlantic coasts of Mauritainia and Senegal known as the Sahel. It is a belt of semi-arid land that runs the length of the Sahara Desert’s southern margin. It is one of the hottest places on Earth with an annual average temperature that ranges from 25-30°C. Most of the rain falls in summer but the dry season can be very long and severe. The flora comprises about 1200 species but the level of endemism is relatively low with no endemic families or genera and less than 40 endemic species (about 3% of the flora). These include Ammannia gracilis, Farsetia stenoptera, Indigofera senegolensis, Launaea (Sonchus) chevalieri, Nymphoides ezannoi, Panicum lactum, Rotala pterocalyx, and Tephrosia quartiniana. In addition there are a number of species that are more or less confined to the Sahel except for extensions into Asia and the Somalia-Masai Region. These include Barleria hochstetteri, Bauhinia rufescens, Cadaba glandulosa, Crotalaria microphylla, Gossypium somalense, Heliotropium rariflorum, Indigofera cordifolia, Piliostigma reticulatum, Solanum albicaule, Tephrosia nubica and Vahlia geminiflora.

The following accounts for this BioProvince have been written or will be written with particular reference to endemic and locally important species. Accounts available are displayed in green or yellow. Those displayed in red are either in the pipeline or awaiting expert contributions.

 

Index
Major Ecosystems
Endemic Vascular Plant Flora
Bryophyte Flora
Fungus Flora
Lichen Flora
Invertebrate Fauna
Amphibian Fauna
Reptile Fauna
Bird Fauna
Mammal Fauna
Conservation Status