Scott's Botanical Links--July 2005

July 28, 2005 - Index Nominum Supragenericorum Plantarum Vascularium

The purpose of the Index Nominum Supragenericorum Plantarum Vascularium is to provide a web reference that lists all valid and legitimate extant vascular plants names, as defined by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, above the rank of genus--a project sponsored by the IAPT and the University of Maryland and curated by Jim Reveal. Data are presented by genus, by APGII families and taxonomic rank, with abbreviations of suprageneric names also available. The goal of the project is to find and evaluate names, but not to make taxonomic judgments. The Index Nominum Supragenericorum Plantarum Vascularium Project was first featured on this site on July 24, 1996. (****) -SR

July 27, 2005 - Guide to Poisonous and Toic Plants

Poisonous plants are not that unusual among our gardens, house plants and lawns, but they do pose a potential risk, most often to children and pets. This list, developed principally for the continental US, has plants listed by typical planting use, including house plants, garden plants, ornamental plants and wild plants. Most convenient may be the index, located below the contents. Although not complete for the US, it is a good starting point. Compiled from various references by the US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine for reference in plantings on military facilities. (***) -SR

July 26, 2005 - Famine Foods Database

As this site notes, there are many plants not normally used as crops that are consumed in times of famine. This database considers the many edible plants from areas that have undergone famine, noteably Ethiopia, but sadly famine has occurred in the past on all inhabited continents. These data are incorporated in the New Crops Database and use its search engine. Plants included in the database may represent target plants for new crop development. Entries compiled by Robert (Bob) L. Freedman. (***1/2)

July 25, 2005 - Native American Ethnobotany

This database is an extention of the book entitled North American Ethnobotany by Daniel E. Moerman that was published in 1998 by Timber Press. This database incorporates information from that book and additional information, currently with over 44,000 individual items. As with most databases, this one has its idiosynchronies. It accepts AND or OR (uppercase only) Boolean logic and prefers exact matches to key word groups. Each topic is a new entry, with statement and reference of origin included. Those who prefer not to browse raw data may prefer the book, which is still in print. By Daniel E. Moerman, University of Michigan, Dearborn. (***) -SR

July 22, 2005 - Nepenthes Nursery

This site, also known as www.wistuba.com, is an amazing site for images of the carnivorous plants Nepenthes and Heliamphora and ant plants, Myrmecodia and the fern Lecanopteris. Images are listed by genus, habit and country of collection and then, in turn, listed alphabetically by genus and species. Each photo is presented in a couple of different sizes, up to half of a screen and are very high to excellent in quality. There are also galleries, a newsletter, information about photography and a shop. Site by the Nepenthes Nursery. (***1/2)

July 21, 2005 - Flora Online Archives

"Flora Online was established by Richard H. Zander, January 12, 1987, to address a perceived need for publication of electronically searchable botanical text and MicroSoft Disk Operating System executable programs. It is first electronic journal to receive an ISSN number from the Library of Congress: ISSN 0892-9106." Flora Online is an electronic publication of TAXACOM, presented as a service to systematic biologists, published in this form from 1987 to November 18, 1993. This link is a recognition of that early accomplishment in electronic botanical publication. -SR

July 20, 2005 - Prairie Frontier

Prairie Frontier offers access to seed of wildflowers and prairie grasses that could restore some native plants to a garden. This offers images and information about a variety of natives that are marker species for prairie plants that used to stretch across North America. Prairie plants tend to be drought resistant and require relatively little care; when undisturbed, they would be expected to displace garden plants from elsewhere. With a beauty of their own, prairie plants can be part of your own restored garden. Site by Prairie Frontier. (***) -SR

July 19, 2005 - Images de la Flore de France

Images de la Flore de France is principally an image site, with some very fine images in the collection, accessible by family or genus. The images are identified by genus, species, family and French common name, along with plant characters in French. In fact, essentially the whole site is French, with French links and also a bibliography. The only pages in English are the copyright and a version of a second home page. Still a nice site. Thanks to PC. (***1/2) -SR

July 18, 2005 - Virtual Field Herbarium

The Virtual Field Herbarium is written with the philosophy that "When people are not aware of the plant diversity around them, they are in no position to make optimum use of their environment, or even to notice when species are going extinct." They hope to help protect environments by constructing field guides to document current diversity and hopefully promote sustainability in rural areas. This site is still in beta testing, but gives information on all phases of online herbarium construction and documentation, lists some 800 field guides published globally, offers an image database including species characteristics of over one hundred families and offers a glossary. (****) -SR

July 15, 2005 - Natural Resource Skills - Introduction to Tree Identification

This site is an illustrated site for beginners on identifying trees and displays various plant habits as a means of illustrating their terminology. The site describes the major phyla and classes of woody plants, and compares monocots and dicots. Much of the site is devoted to leaf and twig organization. Images are clear and crisp. Many basic characteristics are shown. This is part of the Trees of Ontario site by D. Hendrey of Sir Sandford Fleming College, Ontario, Canada. (***) -SR

July 14, 2005 - Lichen determination keys available on INTERNET

This site consists of a variety of specialized keys to lichens based on specific taxonomic sub-groups (e.g., orders, families, genera), geographic areas, or even growth habits. There are some 40 traditional dichotomous keys and even an interactive key. The keys are hosted on servers around the world, so needless to say the quality of these is variable. This page is useful to many who would like to learn how to identify these interesting obligate fungal/algal symbionts. Site by Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Freie Universität Berlin. (***) -SR

July 13, 2005 - MSU: Plant Specific Database

The MSU Plant Specific Database is a research tool that annotates many expressed plant genes, emphasizing Arabidopsis. As with any developing database, some areas are better than others. In this case, plant specific entries are best developed along the lines of funded research of its sponsors (not a surprise). Each protein entry has a probable cellular location (cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondrion and plastid are most frequent), membrane or soluble protein, automatic MIPS function assigned if available and ESTs available (if any). This is an excellent research resource for plant molecular biology at an advanced genomic level. (***1/2)

July 12, 2005 - AREX: The Arabidopsis Gene Expression Database

AREX is a research database that stores the results of microarray experiments, traditional in situ hybridization results and other molecular data. Although the database is currently mainly root data, observations of the entire Arabidopsis plant are anticipated. Data may be searched by gene identification numbers, protein names and anatomy. Such data can provide detailed information about which genes are activated in a specific cell type (of which there are many). This site provides organized access to genomic and expressional data. Site by AREX. (****) -SR

July 11, 2005 - Stapeliads: Orchids of the Succulent World

Stapeliads are among the most unusual, showy, and highly adapted members of the Asclepiadaceae (milkweed family); thus, they are compared to orchids in the title. Stapeliads have a floral structure and scent that attracts their major pollinator in the desert--carrion flies. Needless to say, it is a fetid flower that attracts a carrion fly. Smell is not displayed on this web site, but about 250 excellent images by Dr. Gerald S. Barad are posted. An excellent article on Stepeliad pollination is also svsilable from the Cactus and Succulents Journal. Among the most nightmarish of those shown are Angolluma, Caralluma and Rhytidocaulon. Site is hosted by the Cactus Mall. (****) (Thanks Pat Cullihan, Jr. for the suggestion) -SR

July 8, 2005 - Tree Care Information Brochures

The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) created this site to provide the general public with quality information about tree care and related information. ISA’s mission is to educate and help the public acquire an understanding of the importance and value of proper tree care. Brochures include: What Your Tree Needs and Why, Before Tree Buying and Planting, Proper Tree Care Techniques, Pruning Your Trees and Tree Hazards and Treatments. There is a lot of information here. (***) -SR

July 7, 2005 - Interactive Key to the Flowering Plant Families of Jamaica

Identifying plants can be quite a challenge. For beginners, and especially those who are learning the families, this Java-based interactive key may help. Long lists of family characteristics are at the touch of a button. Plant families listed here follow the book Flowering Plants of Jamaica, by C.D. Adams (1972), published by the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. As with all keys, there are advantages and disadvantages. This only keys to family and presents just one image of a plant in that family (links on the left of the page). This site requires Java and broadband would be useful. Site hosted by FTG. (***1/2) -SR

July 6, 2005 - Fairchild Tropical Garden Virtual Herbarium

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is one of the outstanding botanical gardens of North America for the breadth and depth of their activities. At this site are scientific databases and other botanical resources generated by Garden staff and affiliates. They boast the first truly virtual herbarium with already about 50,000 specimens online, including nearly 3,200 palms. The entire collection is searchable, with photographs of each specimen along with large enough images to read the labels and view macroscopic details about the original plant. Site by FTG, Miami, Florida. (***1/2) -SR

July 5, 2005 - Northern Arizona Flora

The goal of the Northern Arizona Flora website is to provide images eventually of all 2500-some taxa of wild plants in northern Arizona, covering the same range as W.B. McDougall's Seed Plants of Northern Arizona. Plants are listed by family for ferns and fern allies, gymnosperms and angiosperms--dicots and monocots. Each taxon has a brief description, distribution and images as available. Although not very many plants are illustrated yet, the quality is high for this diverse flora. Site by Lee Dittmann. (***) -SR

July 1, 2005 - Botanique.Com: Portal to Gardens, Arboreta and Nature Sites

Botanique.Com is a portal to gardens, arboreta and nature sites in the US and Canada. The site lists states and provinces and therir respective cities and local plant sites, with addresses, telephone contacts and web sites. There are also calendars of events, resouces on the web (organizations, gardening, forums, publications, zones, herbaria, agriculture and potpourri). Altogether, it is a very remarkably complete link list. Currently it contains more than ists more than 2300 gardens, arboreta and nature sites in North America. Site by Botanique. (***1/2) -SR

Past, past links (by date):

2006: January

2005: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2003: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2002: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2001: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2000: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

1999: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

1998: January*, February*, March*, April*, May*, June*, July, August, September, October, November, December   (*Leigh's links)

1997: January, February, March, April, May, June, September*, October*, November*, December*    (*Leigh's links)

1996: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Or search by: Subject Index

http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/jul05.shtml