This is the still preliminary version of an interactive key to native woody plants of Belgium, prepared in collaboration between the National Botanical Garden of Bruxelles and the european project KeyToNature. The key is mainly addressed to schools and begginers.
The list of species has been derived from Lambinon et al. (2004). All woody plants were selected, including half-woody plants. For each taxon the description of the natural area was checked in the text as to decide whether the taxon is indigenous to Belgium or not (the area covered by the Flora is somewhat beyond of the borders of the Country). As “indigenous” are considered some archeophytes as well, (like Mespilus germanica), which were introduced earlier than 1500 AC. Naturalised, adventitious, subspontaneous or cultivated taxa are excluded. We have also doubleckecked the list against that of Maes (2006).
The list thus obtained included 350 infrageneric taxa. A major problem was caused by the 194 “species” of Rubus mentioned by Lambinon et al. (2004). In this key, with a few exceptions, the genus is not treated at species level. The same applies for most of the 37 hybrid taxa, especially in the critical genus Salix. The total number of infrageneric taxa included in the present version is 133.

Bibliography

LAMBINON J., DELVOSALLE L. & DUVIGNEAUD J. (2004) Nouvelle Flore de la Belgique, du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, du Nord de la France et des Régions voisines. 1167 p. Ed. Patrim. Jard. bot. nat. Belg., Meise.
MAES B. (2006) Inheemse bomen en struiken in Nederland en Vlaanderen. 376 p. Uitg. Boom, Amsterdam.