Abstract

This paper aims at documenting species belonging to the family Sapindaceae in West Africa. Samples were collected for 2 years (May 2008 to April 2010) using random sampling from various sites including botanic gardens and forest reserves. 104 taxa were observed encompassing 26 genera: Allophylus (16), Aporrhiza (3), Blighia (3), Cardiospermum (3), Chytranthus (10), Deinbollia(12), Dodonaea (1), Eriocoelum (6), Ganophyllum (1), Glenniea (1), Haplocoelum (1), Harpullia (1), Laccodiscus (2), Lecaniodiscus (2), Lepisanthes (1), Lychnodiscus (4), Majidea (1), Melicoccus (1), Nephelium (1), Pancovia (10), Paullinia (1), Placodiscus (15), Radlkofera (4), Sapindus (2), Schleichera (1), and Zanha (1). Four of these taxa, Ganophyllum, Haplocoelum, Laccodiscus andLepisanthes, are reported for the first time in West Africa. Also, most of the taxa are native to the region with exception to Melicoccus bijugatus, Nephelium lappaceum and Cardiospermum corindumwhich are naturalized species. 11 of the taxa are yet to be identified at the species level and they are suspected to be new. All taxa are arranged alphabetically within 2 subfamilies and 11 tribes.

Key words: Biodiversity, forest, tropical Africa, soapberry.