Alien flora of Zimbabwe: Data derived from herbarium specimens

Abstract

This data is based on herbarium specimens housed by the National Herbarium (SRGH) in Harare, Zimbabwe. Comprehensive data is provided for 1487 alien plant taxa growing in Zimbabwe. This checklist has 1027 taxa that were confined to cultivation, while 63 and 397 taxa were recorded as casuals and naturalized, respectively. The alien flora is rich in Fabaceae sensu lato (13.7%), Asteraceae and Poaceae (7.3% each) plant families. The dataset presented in this article provide important baseline information on alien plant species in Zimbabwe required to monitor status of such species within the country, particularly in protected areas. Therefore, this dataset has potential to serve as a foundation for future research on plant invasions in Zimbabwe.

Keywords

• Alien plants
• Conservation
• Gardens
• Exotic species
• Horticulture
• Zimbabwe