D. M. John Bücher

The catalogue documents all species and infraspecific taxa of benthic marine algae, or seaweeds, along the mainland coast of West Africa (from the northern boundary of Western Sahara to Namibia) and the western Atlantic islands, including those near the African mainland. It covers over 32 countries and islands, organizing genera, species, and infraspecific taxa alphabetically within green, brown, and red algae. Each entry includes the currently accepted name along with previously used names from earlier publications, and lists all countries and islands where the species has been recorded, citing recent literature. Taxonomic and nomenclatural details are provided as necessary. A total of 1,195 species are accepted (202 green algae, 200 brown algae, 793 red algae), a decrease from 2,013 recognized in lists over the past 40 years. Despite advancements in understanding West African seaweeds, some areas remain underexplored, with no records for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rio Muni, and Cabinda. The seaweed floras of major island archipelagos, like the Canary Islands with 646 species, are notably more diverse than the mainland coast, which has just under 300 species along a 4,000 km shoreline. One new combination is introduced: Chondrophycus glanduliferis (Kütz.) Prud'homme & D. M. John.

Freshwater is crucial for the nutrition and welfare of the African people, yet knowledge of the continent's aquatic systems lags behind that of Europe and North America. This became clear when I set out to write a brief review on the botany of inland waters in tropical West Africa. I found a surprising amount of information, though it was often scattered across research papers and obscure reports, making it difficult for researchers in Africa to access. Notably, there have been no recent reviews on the botany of major aquatic systems in tropical West Africa, apart from Lake Chad, while the vast man-made lakes created by damming rivers like the Volta and Niger remain largely unexamined. Existing reviews often focus on East Africa, reflecting the authors' field experiences and the wealth of research on the Rift Valley lakes. This work aims to balance that focus by compiling knowledge on aquatic plants in tropical West Africa. The initial chapters introduce the physical, chemical, and botanical features of the region's inland aquatic habitats, while later chapters discuss macrophytic vegetation and algae. To accurately represent aquatic macrophytes, I collaborated with an ecologist experienced in the region, as my expertise lies in algae. It is hoped this publication will encourage further research on African aquatic systems, particularly by African universities and research institutions, fostering local expertise.

The present guide covers the somewhat imprecisely defined district of Galway known as Connemara (Iar - Chonnacht) and south Mayo where yearly rainfall is exceptionally high (c. 1500mm) and winters are comparatively mild...Lying 5 km off County Mayo in Clew Bay is Clare Island, an island included because of its special significance as the focus of the earliest major biological survey of any specific area of the world. The present guide focuses on those desmids in standing water, ranging from small boggy pools through to large loughs as well those associated with areas of freshwater seepage... (Quoted from the introduction). - Detailed descriptions and keys.

Rocky shores, mangrove roots and other hard surfaces provide anchorage for seaweeds or benthic macroalgae along the environmentally relatively inhospitable coast of tropical West Africa. This user-friendly guide deals with the over 300 species of green, brown and red seaweeds known from an almost 4,000 km long stretch of West African coast (Gambia to the equator) as well as islands in the Gulf of Guinea. Descriptions and identification keys are relatively free of technical terms. Each entry takes the form of a diagnostic description of the species along with notes on its West African distribution, ecology and taxonomic or identification problems. Included are more than 250 clear line drawings and 46 colour photographs that usually emphasise features required for accurate identification.