Journal profile · Plant Sciences
Flora
ISSN 0367-2530 · eISSN 1618-0585 · Urban und Fischer Verlag Jena · GERMANY · Quarterly · Founded 1970
Flora: CAS Zone 3 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.44; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,900; review about 132 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy (Elsevier website: 29%); 161 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Flora is published by Urban und Fischer Verlag Jena and is in Zone 3 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Plant and animal studies, Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies and Plant Diversity and Evolution, together about 33.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of PlantsFLORA, the scientific botanical journal with the longest uninterrupted publication sequence (since 1818), considers manuscripts in a range of areas of botany which appeal to a broad international scientific readership. The journal publishes original contributions and review articles on plant structure (morphology and anatomy), plant developmental biology (ontogeny), phytogeography (including phylogeography), plant population genetics, plant functional ecology (including ecophysiology), plant population ecology, biotic interactions between plants and other organisms, plant community ecology, and ecosystem ecology. Suggestions for Special Issues are welcome, as are compilations of manuscripts (both original and review articles) for Special Features on a specific topic. Manuscripts on the following subjects are highly welcome, especially when they integrate between areas or research approaches: comparative and evolutionary aspects of morphology, anatomy and development, ecophysiology of plant species related to their distribution, mechanisms of ecological interactions in plant communities (e.g. plant-plant interactions, plant-soil feedback, and plant-animal interactions), reproductive ecology including plant-pollinator interactions, genetic and spatial structure of plant populations, and functional diversity in plant communities. Manuscripts focused on floristics or vegetation studies will only be considered if they go beyond a purely descriptive approach and have relevance for interpreting plant structure, distribution or ecology. Manuscripts whose content is restricted to taxonomy, phylogeny, nomenclature, or geobotany of local interest, or applied agricultural, horticultural, pharmacological or silvicultural aspects, or experimental studies dealing exclusively with investigations at the cellular or subcellular level will not be considered for publication.Article typesResearch article: Reporting original results of a theoretical, explorative or experimental botanical research. Typically, 6000-8000 words in length, but longer articles are also being considered, when the content justifies the extent. See formatting guidelines for the structure of the article in the manuscript preparation guidelines below.Review article: The review articles providing an up-to-date overview of a research area and/or scientific problem fitting into the scope of the journal. Review article should go further than the simple sum
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Plant Sciences
Editor-in-chief Hermann HeilmeierPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 9 in mainland China (about 12%); most named Germany 17, Brazil 11, Mainland China 9, Italy 7, Spain 4 (78 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Plant and animal studiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences13.9%
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesEnvironmental Science9.9%
- Plant Diversity and EvolutionAgricultural and Biological Sciences9.8%
- Botany and Plant Ecology StudiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences8.7%
- Plant Parasitism and ResistanceAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.9%
- Lichen and fungal ecologyAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.4%
- Plant Reproductive BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology3.7%
- Fern and Epiphyte BiologyAgricultural and Biological Sciences3.5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Plant Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Plant Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Plant Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.44LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.5LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 3.5Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.59LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.89LetPub ·
- h-index
- 48LetPub ·
- h-index
- 91OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,128OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.52OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 9.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 16.42%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 142LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,437 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 118 | 34 | 16 |
| 2025 | 161 | 35 | 170 |
| 2024 | 138 | 46 | 448 |
| 2023 | 158 | 44 | 960 |
| 2022 | 169 | 34 | 1,120 |
| 2021 | 166 | 34 | 1,528 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
132 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports about 3 months
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 29%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 7 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 63 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 132 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 2,900 / EUR 2,710 / GBP 2,320 / JPY 359,690 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,100 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare9 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 8,000 words
- Reference style
- Vancouver
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Suggested reviewers
- Required
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted7, with length limits
- editorialHumboldt Review article (by invitation only): The “Humboldt Review” article type was named after the German scientist Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), who wa…main text ≤ 250 words
- editorial articleEditorial article (for editors, editorial board members and guest editors only)Length not stated
- humboldt review articleHumboldt Review article (by invitation only): The “Humboldt Review” article type was named after the German scientist Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), who wa…Length not stated
- opinionthe full submission of the manuscript. Opinion article: short pieces with a word count to 3000 words of the main text, presenting new ideas and insights, commenmain text ≤ 3,000 words
- opinion articleOpinion article: short pieces with a word count to 3000 words of the main text, presenting new ideas and insights, commentaries, opinion responses or new analys…Length not stated
- research articleResearch article: Reporting original results of a theoretical, explorative or experimental botanical research. Typically, 6000-8000 words in length, but longer …Length not stated
- review articleReview article: The review articles providing an up-to-date overview of a research area and/or scientific problem fitting into the scope of the journal.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability
Elsevier takes a neutral position on territorial disputes or jurisdictional claims; maps should only show the area actually studied. Model summary
Elsevier respects the decisions taken by its authors as to how they choose to designate territories and identify their affiliations in their published content.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Authors must follow Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy. Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process; submissions initially assessed by editors; if suitable, sent to a minimum of two reviewers; editors make the decision. Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed; does not count as prior publication; free preprint posting service on SSRN offered. Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Urban und Fischer Verlag Jena
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- Multi-Language
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Founded
- 1970
- ISSN
- 0367-2530
- Electronic ISSN
- 1618-0585
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Flora
What CAS zone is Flora in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Flora is in Zone 3 of Biology, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Plant Sciences / Ecology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Flora?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.44; CiteScore 3.5, h-index 91.
How long does peer review take at Flora?
The publisher reports about 132 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy (Elsevier website: 29%)”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Flora?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 8,000 words; Reference style: Vancouver; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Suggested reviewers: Required; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Required; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Flora based?
Of the 78 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 9 (about 12%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (17), Brazil (11) and Mainland China (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Flora?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Flora is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Flora open access, and what is the APC?
Flora is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,900.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .