Plant Diversity ›› 2012, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (6): 562-584.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1143.2012.12145

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Some Considerations on Data Integration for the Next-Generation Flora (iFlora) and Flora Revision—— A Case Study of Gaultheria (Ericaceae)

 LU  Lu-1、2, WANG  Hong-1、2, LI  De-Zhu-1、2   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biogeography, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
    Kunming 650201, China; 2 Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany,
    Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
  • Received:2012-11-05 Online:2012-12-25 Published:2012-11-07

Abstract:

The next-generation intelligent Flora (iFlora) is designed to integrate current botanical knowledge, with molecular biology information and computer technology. The most important and urgent task for iFlora development is to search for an approach to incorporate all useful data into an accurate, most up-to-date and complete information database for a taxon, and hierarchically classify these data to meet different demands from iFlora users, to provide the user an authentic, scientific researchbased platform for sharing botanic knowledge, and associated valuable information for the benefit of national economy and quality of our life. In this study, we summarized the innovations, hierarchical classifications and functions of data for iFlora, in contrast of that of the previous Floras and the frequentlyused digital plant databases or eFloras. The innovation and essential of data compilation and integration of the iFlora was emphasized as intelligent assembly of data from DNA barcodes, key morphological characters, digital images and molecular phylogenetics with the support of computer techniques to achieve intelligent plant identification. We attempted to integrate previously assembled research data into the iFlora, and list three hierarchically classified data and their functions, and related issues, with the genus Gaultheria and one of its species, G.hookeri, as test case.

Key words: iFlora, Online flora, Plant database, Digital data, Flora revision, Gaultheria

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