Fabaceae of Southern Africa's Journal

This is an update to the 17th of September 2022 totals of the number of observations, uploaded species recorded, number of identifiers and observers from the region. The totals are an increase from 2022.

181601 OBSERVATIONS
1841 SPECIES
2227 IDENTIFIERS
8104 OBSERVERS

The number of observations has increased by 71,788. However, only 165 additional species have been added. This reflects less active or fewer observers in the northern parts of the regions, especially Mocambique, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. There has been increased recording in Botswana. Overall, the number of identifiers has pleasantly increased by 682. The significant increase in the number observers uploading legume pictures is an additional 2894. The various bioblitz campaigns have certainly increased the totals.

Naming is directly correlated to the availability of suitable monographs and keys and only a few legume taxonomists are doing most of the name checking in their specialist interest groups. The production of new handbooks and field guides as the following have certainly encouraged users to photograph legumes:

Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg (Struik Nature)
Plants of the Baviaanskloof (Struik Nature)
and useful masters and PhD theses becoming available from universities, e.g. for the endemic flora of the Soutpansberg
http://www.soutpansberg.com/endemic_flora/pdf/endemic_flora_soutpansberg.pdf

The latest issue has just been published

How to subscribe:
A few of the earlier copies until 2018 are available at :
https://www.kew.org/science/our-science/publications-and-reports/publications/the-bean-bag and for earlier copies via the Biodiversity Heritage Library https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/search?stype=F&searchTerm=the+bean+bag#/titles

The Bean Bag started in 1974 on the initiative of Charles (Bob) Gunn and Richard Cowan and the first printed issue was distributed over 40 years ago in May 1975. Editors: Colin Hughes (University of Zurich, Switzerland) and Warren Cardinal-McTeague (Agriculture and Agri-Food, Canada).

The aim of the annual newsletter has been to keep legume researchers informed and updated about new publications, events, and projects on the family Leguminosae.

The first global list of all legume species can be accessed via the Legume Data Portal https://www.legumedata.org/