This study seeks to demonstrate that the determination of conservation areas based solely on the specific diversity and richness of endemic species is biased by an unequal distribution of sampling density across the region studied. It is based on the widely sampled and known subfamilies of Caesalpinioideae and Mimosoideae from Central Africa. 9953 samples collected between 1888 and 2007 and grouped into 133 species were considered. The study area was subdivided into 244 cells using a spatial resolution of a 1° x 1°
grid to analyze the spatial distribution of species richness and endemic species.

In this study, we examined sampling effort, the relationship between accessibility and sampling effort, the relationship between sampling effort and reported diversity, the distribution of geographic areas with greater diversity and which contain endemic species. The results show that the number of species increases with sampling intensity, and that the number of species and sampling intensity are higher near cities. We also noticed in this study that endemic species
occupy highly sampled areas. Areas where specific diversity coincides with the presence of endemic species have been identified as priority conservation areas. However, conservation based solely on the two criteria used must be interpreted carefully because not all regions have been systematically sampled, which introduces a bias in the identification of conservation areas when based solely on specific diversity and endemic species.