The largest digital database of fern and lycopod records from Honduras: spatial, temporal and collector biases

Honduras is one of the least botanically studied countries in Central America. Most of the scientific botanical information for Honduras is housed in globally distributed herbaria, an often-under-used resource. A recently published checklist of ferns and lycopods from Honduras indicated that for the 713 taxa, often few distribution data are available and that we still do not know where fern and lycopod collections have taken place in the past. Therefore, the aims of this work were to (1) bring together for the first time a comprehensive inventory of fern and lycopod records from international herbaria and to (2) identify spatial, temporal and collector biases of these collections. Published and unpublished herbarium inventories of ferns and lycopod records were accessed from 2212 global herbaria. Of these, 39 hosted Honduran fern and lycopod collections. The final database included 22 194 herbarium records. Spatial and idiosyncratic collection biases are shown, with collections hotspots in areas such the Department of Francisco Morazan near the TEFH and Escuela Agricola Panamericana (EAP) herbaria, in Celaque National Park near the city of San Pedro Sula and Tela and Lancetilla Botanical Garden. This unique database deposited at EAP, TEFH, LIV and Edge Hill University will enable Hondurans to share information to support the protection, restoration and sustainable use of their ecosystems.

Automated summary

Honduras is one of the least studies countries in Central America in terms of botany. The scientific botanical information for Honduras is mostly found in global herbaria, which is often overlooked. This study aims to compile a comprehensive inventory of fern and lycopod records from international herbaria and identify biases in spatial, temporal, and collector distribution. The database generated from this study will support the protection and sustainable use of Honduran ecosystems.