Table 4.
List of top 20 most species-rich plant families and genera recorded in tropical African forests
| Family | Total # species | Genus | Total # species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rubiaceae | 1698 | Psychotria | 251 |
| Fabaceae | 1590 | Cyperus | 179 |
| Orchidaceae | 928 | Polystachya | 156 |
| Asteraceae | 753 | Crotalaria | 154 |
| Poaceae | 722 | Pavetta | 145 |
| Acanthaceae | 526 | Vernonia | 115 |
| Cyperaceae | 443 | Combretum | 108 |
| Apocynaceae | 430 | Begonia | 107 |
| Malvaceae | 413 | Impatiens | 102 |
| Euphorbiaceae | 402 | Indigofera | 102 |
| Lamiaceae | 367 | Euphorbia | 101 |
| Annonaceae | 306 | Rinorea | 99 |
| Melastomataceae | 231 | Habenaria | 92 |
| Phyllanthaceae | 190 | Cola | 91 |
| Sapindaceae | 176 | Dichapetalum | 89 |
| Celastraceae | 167 | Justicia | 88 |
| Sapotaceae | 164 | Asplenium | 82 |
| Asparagaceae | 159 | Millettia | 82 |
| Convolvulaceae | 148 | Bulbophyllum | 80 |
| Polypodiaceae | 141 | Phyllanthus | 79 |
The families and genera are ordered from largest to smallest