Global patterns of native aluminum-accumulating plants indicate a predominance in tropical regions and specific taxonomic groups

Background and aims Aluminium (Al) toxicity limits plant growth in acidic soils, affecting plant development and survival. However, some species are tolerant to Al, allowing them to grow under these conditions. In this study, we mapped the global distribution and main taxonomic groups of native Al-accumulating plants and analyzed spatial, temporal, and thematic patterns in the scientific literature on the subject. Methods We analyzed 1,097 articles, including 680 from Web of Science and 417 from the Scopus database. After removing duplicates and applying exclusion criteria, 129 articles were selected for scientometric analysis using the Bibliometrix package combined with manual data collection from the articles. Results Our analysis revealed that the highest concentration of Al-accumulating plants occurs in tropical regions of Asia and America, and the countries leading scientific production are China, Japan, and Brazil. We identified Al-accumulating species in 68 botanical families, with the greatest number of species in Eudicots > Monilophytes > Monocots > Bryophytes > Lycophytes; the Fabaceae family stands out for its diversity of accumulating species and high Al concentrations (> 10 g Al·kg⁻ 1 ). Conclusion Despite advances, knowledge gaps remain, such as the scarcity of studies on cryptogams and monocots and the occurrence of Al-accumulating species in tropical rainforests such as the Amazon. These gaps represent promising opportunities to expand knowledge about the mechanisms of aluminium tolerance and accumulation in different plant groups and ecosystems.