IOPI Scrophulariacaea Information

[Len Nunn]

Hello All,

The Natural History Museum gopher is finally on the air, albeit in a
somewhat experimental and potentially volatile form.

The address is
    gopher.nhm.ic.ac.uk

The first useful information relates to the IOPI vascular plant name list
initiative, for which the Scrophulariaceae group is given under 'Scientific
Information/Botanical/IOPI'.  The introductory text is reproduced below:

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Scrophulariaceae Information System.  Draft Name List.

The attached list represents a first development of an
information system for the Scrophulariaceae.  Though the coverage
is basically restricted to this one family, the database includes
information on variations in taxonomic delimitation, including
alternative names for and subdivisions of the family (Personatae,
Antirrhinaceae, Rhinanthaceae) and families included in the
Scrophulariaceae in various current systems (Orobanchaceae,
Selaginaceae, Globulariaceae).  Many species and genera have
been moved regularly between the Scrophulariaceae and adjacent
families including the Acanthaceae, Bignoniaceae, Gesneriaceae,
Labiatae, Lentibulariaceae and Myoporaceae.  Names for most of
these are in the main database, though not necessarily included
in this preliminary list.

At present the full database consist of about 29,000 names,
though the current preliminary listing contains 20,892 names.
The preliminary list predominantly consists of species binomials,
though the underlying database includes additional infraspecific,
infrageneric and suprageneric names.  Autonyms have been
excluded, as have _pro parte_ synonyms.


Origin

The Scrophulariaceae information system originated in a number of
separate databases generated in response to particular research
and publishing projects.  In addition it includes selected
information from other databases including the Linnaean
Typification Project, the European Plant Information Centre,
TROPICOS, the Smithsonian Type Register, the Field Museum
catalogue of photographs of types and the Australian Plant Name
Index.  Data has been added from selected monographs, from
regional projects including >Flora Europaea< and >Conspectus Florae
Orientalis<, from all published volumes of >Index Kewensis<, and a
manual search through the >Index Kewensis< CD-ROM was invaluable
for locating otherwise overlooked genera.  Many thanks to all
those who have so generously contributed their time and
information.


Accents

The system used for diacriticals basically matches that used for
the draft list of Botanical Generic Names in Current Use.
Examples of such codes are umlaut = a%; acute accented e = e};
grave accented e = e{; tilde n = n~; c cedilla = c$; Polish
crossed l = l/.  The symbols > and < are equivalent to opening
and closing an italic typeset and can be ignored for direct
conversion of the data.


Data content

Current data consists of names with the corresponding authority
or authorities, plus a year of publication where information is
readily available.  Authorities are basically consisted to the
new Author Abbreviation standard, but final detailed editing will
depend on checking original references.  No restrictions are
placed on the uses of this list, though at present no guarantees
can be given on the accuracy of the data.


For all names in the database there is currently a minimum of
basic information on the place of publication.  Since that
information has not been consisted to an adequate standard, it is
excluded from this preliminary listing.  For approximately 20% of
names, the list also includes much more detailed information on
type specimens and sometimes the protologue.  For a small
percentage of names the information is much more comprehensive
including descriptive information, non-type specimens and geo-
referenced distributional data.  We would welcome any ideas on
what should go into the information system.  For example, images
of type specimens and associated bibliography.


Purpose

The system will allow for alternative taxonomies - it is not
designed to stifle research but to be used as research tool.  An
immediate objective will be to produce a module for the IOPI
World Checklist of Vascular Plants.

The intention is to make the database available in summary form
on the Internet, ideally with a more complete version distributed
on electronic media - probably CD-ROM.  Collaboration from
specialists is urgently sought for developing parts of the
database.  Full access to relevant data will be provided
immediately to those collaborating in the project.

Initial responses to the call for collaboration will be looked at
in August and letters will be sent out to Scrophulariaceae experts
not on the Internet in due course.



David Sutton     das at nhm.ic.ac.uk
Len Nunn         len at nhm.ic.ac.uk

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I apologise in advance if the Gopher is not available all the time - just
keep trying!

Len Nunn
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Len Nunn
Department of Botany
The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, England.
Telephone: +44 (0)71 938 9085    Fax: +44 (0)71 938 9290
Email    : len at nhm.ic.ac.uk
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