Aeschimann, D., N. Rasolofo & J.-P. Theurillat (2011). Analysis of the flora of the Alps. 1: historical account and biodiversity. Candollea 66: 27–55. In French, English and French abstracts.

First in a series, this paper statistically analyzes some of the data published in «Flora alpina», i.e. that relating to the nomen-clature and to the chorology in the Alps. An historical account of the knowledge of vascular plants recorded in the Alps is given: numbers of described taxa and new combinations made over time (two periods highlighted), principal authors and books. Biodiversity is characterized: number of taxa per taxonomic category, country, geographic sector and administrative division. The average taxonomic richness of the Alps is estimated at about 2200 taxa per 10,000 km² and a map shows the values calculated for each region. Endemism is also evaluated: by family, genus, country, sector, regrouping of sectors, division and the regrouping of divisions. The southern end of the western Alps and the south-western part of the eastern Alps are confirmed as the Alpine regions where the density of endemics and taxonomic richness are the highest.