Floristic surprises in North America north of Mexico

Contrary to recurring perceptions that the flora of North America north of Mexico has been fully explored and cataloged, the rate of ongoing discoveries has remained remarkably constant for much of the last century and shows no evidence of tapering off. This is particularly evident in western and southeastern North America, where dramatic new species and occasional monotypic genera are still coming to light, even along highways and near major cities. Furthermore, the same level of ongoing discovery also characterizes other aspects of floristic information, including the distribution of rare species and the occurrence of invasive pest plants. The majority of ongoing discoveries are dependent on individuals and organizations operating outside of academia, with declining opportunities for formal training in floristics or access to scientific expertise when complex situations are encountered. This situation is connected to the perception of floristics as rote data compilation, when it is in fact better understood in the context of a massive attempt to model biodiversity, resulting in an intricate suite of nested hypotheses that are constantly being tested and modified. The incompleteness of our floristic knowledge takes on critical significance in an era when decisions are being made that will irrevocably determine the fate of our national floristic heritage. The cost of this ignorance can cut multiple ways, increasing the risk of misplaced mitigation efforts as well as avoidable loss of irreplaceable biodiversity. Although the magnitude of the task is daunting, significant advances are achievable in a collaborative framework, which would yield a vastly improved floristic knowledge base for informed decision-making.