Recent Developments in Kew’s Grass Databases Kehan T. Harman Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK [email_address] A Celebration of Grasses

Outline Background History What the databases contain Changes Descriptions Synonymy What you can do with the databases Future Plans Help us improve them

Background

History

What the databases contain

Changes

Descriptions

Synonymy

What you can do with the databases

Future Plans

Help us improve them

History Driving force W.D. Clayton Tool to make a taxonomist’s job easier Floras Revisions

Driving force

W.D. Clayton

Tool to make a taxonomist’s job easier

Floras

Revisions

Descriptions DEscriptive Language for TAxonomy (DELTA) Character set developed open ended database for grass species descriptions broad experience of Floras additional characters added 1,090 Characters Descriptions coded Literature Floral Treatments, monographs, original descriptions Herbarium specimens *SHOW World Grass Species - items. *ITEM DESCRIPTIONS # Aciachne acicularis/ 1,2 4,2 33,1-3 58,3 140,1 141,0.7 161,1 163,3 165,0.4-1 166,0.3-0.4 170,1 180,3 182,3 195,3 198,1 206,3 207,2 229,4 230,1-3 232,2 390,1 518,1 519,1 520,1 521,2 522,2 527,2 531,4-4.6 534,3 539,1 576,1 579,1 590,1 591,1 593,1 594,2 597,6 601,1.8-2.2 602,1 604,7 611,1 619,3-5 648,3 655,6 660,1.8-2.2 661,0.5 664,7 671,1 676,3-5 699,3 797,4 802,2 806,4-4.6 808,7 813,2 816,1 821,3 822,1 852,4 853,2 865,10 921,6 923,2 924,1 985,4 989,1 990,1 995,3 1008,2 1018,1 1034,1 1071,8 1079,1&4&6 1082,37 1085<Fl Meso-Am 1995> 1090<imp00000> # Aciachne flagellifera/ 1,2 4,2 33,1-3 58,3 140,1 141,0.7 157,2/3 161,1 163,3 165,0.4-1 166,0.3-0.4 170,1 195,3 198,1 206,3 207,2 208,8<1-1.5mm,flexuous> 209,5 229,4 230,1-3 232,2 390,1 518,1 519,1 520,1 521,2 522,2 527,2 531,4-4.6 534,3 539,1 576,1 579,1 590,1 591,1 593,1 594,2 597,6 601,1.8-2.2 602,1 604,7 611,1 619,3-5 648,3 655,6 660,1.8-2.2 661,0.5 664,7 671,1 676,3-5 699,3 797,4 802,2 806,4-4.6 808,7 813,2 816,1 821,3 822,1 852,4 853,2 865,10 921,6 923,2 924,1 985,4 989,1 990,1 995,3 1008,2 1018,1 1034,1 1071,8 1079,4 1082,37 1085<Laegaard 1999> 1087<lateral pulvini at base of leaf-blade inconspicuous> 1090<imp00001>

DEscriptive Language for TAxonomy (DELTA)

Character set developed

open ended database for grass species descriptions

broad experience of Floras

additional characters added

1,090 Characters

Descriptions coded

Literature

Floral Treatments, monographs, original descriptions

Herbarium specimens

*SHOW World Grass Species - items.

*ITEM DESCRIPTIONS

# Aciachne acicularis/

1,2 4,2 33,1-3 58,3 140,1 141,0.7 161,1 163,3 165,0.4-1 166,0.3-0.4 170,1

180,3 182,3 195,3 198,1 206,3 207,2 229,4 230,1-3 232,2 390,1 518,1 519,1

520,1 521,2 522,2 527,2 531,4-4.6 534,3 539,1 576,1 579,1 590,1 591,1 593,1

594,2 597,6 601,1.8-2.2 602,1 604,7 611,1 619,3-5 648,3 655,6 660,1.8-2.2

661,0.5 664,7 671,1 676,3-5 699,3 797,4 802,2 806,4-4.6 808,7 813,2 816,1

821,3 822,1 852,4 853,2 865,10 921,6 923,2 924,1 985,4 989,1 990,1 995,3

1008,2 1018,1 1034,1 1071,8 1079,1&4&6 1082,37 1085<Fl Meso-Am 1995>

1090<imp00000>

# Aciachne flagellifera/

1,2 4,2 33,1-3 58,3 140,1 141,0.7 157,2/3 161,1 163,3 165,0.4-1 166,0.3-0.4

170,1 195,3 198,1 206,3 207,2 208,8<1-1.5mm,flexuous> 209,5 229,4 230,1-3

232,2 390,1 518,1 519,1 520,1 521,2 522,2 527,2 531,4-4.6 534,3 539,1 576,1

579,1 590,1 591,1 593,1 594,2 597,6 601,1.8-2.2 602,1 604,7 611,1 619,3-5

648,3 655,6 660,1.8-2.2 661,0.5 664,7 671,1 676,3-5 699,3 797,4 802,2

806,4-4.6 808,7 813,2 816,1 821,3 822,1 852,4 853,2 865,10 921,6 923,2 924,1

985,4 989,1 990,1 995,3 1008,2 1018,1 1034,1 1071,8 1079,4 1082,37

1085<Laegaard 1999> 1087<lateral pulvini at base of leaf-blade

inconspicuous> 1090<imp00001>

Synonymy Index Kewensis / IPNI ( www.ipni.org ) Literature Taxonomic status Synonyms Homonyms Distribution (TDWG Level 2) Type specimens etc

Index Kewensis / IPNI ( www.ipni.org )

Literature

Taxonomic status

Synonyms

Homonyms

Distribution (TDWG Level 2)

Type specimens

etc

History Both databases were downloadable from the Kew website Little documentation available Not updated for 2 years

Both databases were downloadable from the Kew website

Little documentation available

Not updated for 2 years

Descriptions INTKEY Query data Interactive Identification But… Complex for the uninitiated Descriptions difficult to read Advanced querying complex

INTKEY

Query data

Interactive Identification

But…

Complex for the uninitiated

Descriptions difficult to read

Advanced querying complex

Synonymy MS Access Database Reports Accepted Names Synonyms Lists Not linked to descriptions Not web accessible

MS Access Database

Reports

Accepted Names

Synonyms

Lists

Not linked to descriptions

Not web accessible

Changes – Descriptions Major overhaul of website Species descriptions in Webpage Format 10,800 Descriptions Species index Search page

Major overhaul of website

Species descriptions in Webpage Format

10,800 Descriptions

Species index

Search page

Changes – Descriptions Documentation Introduction Character List Citation Details of how to contribute DELTA utilities How to use Intkey

Documentation

Introduction

Character List

Citation

Details of how to contribute

DELTA utilities

How to use Intkey

Changes – Descriptions Update of Interactive Key Additional links to documentation Glossary of terms Character notes Rich Text Descriptions

Update of Interactive Key

Additional links to documentation

Glossary of terms

Character notes

Rich Text Descriptions

Changes – Synonymy Link to Descriptions Synonyms Lists New queries Lists of species Genus within an Area Unidentified (HELP!)

Link to Descriptions

Synonyms

Lists

New queries

Lists of species

Genus within an Area

Unidentified (HELP!)

What you can do Descriptions Confirm species identification does your specimen match the description Use descriptions for further taxonomic work Writing Floras Data analysis

Descriptions

Confirm species identification

does your specimen match the description

Use descriptions for further taxonomic work

Writing Floras

Data analysis

Interactive Key Identify Species Look for differences Separate a taxon Search online databases Key Writing

Identify Species

Look for differences

Separate a taxon

Search online databases

Key Writing

Raw Data Phylogenetic Analysis / Distance Matrices Morphometrics Supertree analyses EvoDevo The sky’s the limit Flagellariaceae Ecdeiovoleaceae Anarthriaceae Hopkinsia/Lyginia Austral Restioids Centrolepidaceae Elegia Joinvilleaceae Bambusa Oryza Centotheceae Pennisetum Phragmites Neurachne Andropogoninae Zea Eragrostis Danthonia Nardus Aegilops Avena

Phylogenetic Analysis / Distance Matrices

Morphometrics

Supertree analyses

EvoDevo

The sky’s the limit

Synonymy Find the accepted name and citation for (almost) all grass species Produce various lists of species Links to Descriptions

Find the accepted name and citation for (almost) all grass species

Produce various lists of species

Links to Descriptions

Planned Changes Descriptions Generic descriptions Distribution maps from Synonymy database Improve Geography Improve quality of existing descriptions Help! Start gathering illustrations for species

Descriptions

Generic descriptions

Distribution maps from Synonymy database

Improve Geography

Improve quality of existing descriptions

Help!

Start gathering illustrations for species

Planned Changes Interactive Key Illustrated character set Web based key

Interactive Key

Illustrated character set

Web based key

Planned Changes Synonymy Develop web pages Documentation Incorporation into the Monocot Checklist Online Database Synonyms / Taxonomic Status Checklist production

Synonymy

Develop web pages

Documentation

Incorporation into the Monocot Checklist

Online Database

Synonyms / Taxonomic Status

Checklist production

Summary New Descriptions Documentation Link from Synonymy Updated Synonymy Interactive Key Future Enhanced descriptions Synonymy on web Monocot Checklist Web based identification system …

New

Descriptions

Documentation

Link from Synonymy

Updated

Synonymy

Interactive Key

Future

Enhanced descriptions

Synonymy on web

Monocot Checklist

Web based identification system

…

Thank you for coming! Write this down  Descriptions Database www.kew.org/data/grasses-db.html Synonymy Database www.kew.org/data/grasses-syn.html Grasses at Kew www.kew.org/scihort/poaceae Demonstration tomorrow during the poster session!!!

Write this down 

Descriptions Database

www.kew.org/data/grasses-db.html

Synonymy Database

www.kew.org/data/grasses-syn.html

Grasses at Kew

www.kew.org/scihort/poaceae

Demonstration tomorrow during the poster session!!!