Current Knowledge and Research Perspectives on Bryophytes in West Africa

Bryophytes are non-vascular plants comprising mosses, liverworts and hornworts. In West Africa, they are one of the least investigated components of biodiversity, receiving far less attention than vascular plants. This systematic review synthesizes the current knowledge on bryophytes in West Africa and identifies gaps and future prospects for advancing bryophytes research. Since the earliest explorations in the 18th century, bryophyte research in West Africa has remained poorly developed, with a noticeable bias toward certain countries over other countries. Over the past four decades, bryophyte research and the number of recorded species have increased. To date, 1175 bryophyte species and infraspecific taxa, representing 320 genera and 120 families, were recorded in the region, of which 6.47% are endemic. This documented diversity surely does not represent the full flora of the region: many species are evidently still undescribed. Another major constraint on advancing knowledge is the scarcity of specialists in the region and the lack of sustained scientific interest and academic focus in the taxonomic group. A priority for advancing knowledge on bryophytes in West Africa is to strengthen taxonomic research to document biodiversity, alongside comprehensive studies on bryophyte diversity and distribution across regions.