Checklists - Vascular Plants of Texas
 
    The Flora of Texas represents a dynamic, living system that is characterized by constant change.  Our knowledge of the flora is imperfect and perspectives on the flora change as new information becomes available from on-going floristic research.  A digital floristic data access system can track change in real time and thereby present the user with current information.  Digital processing, on the other hand, requires a stable foundation and the structural base for Digital Flora of Texas systems is the scientific or technical name.  The complex dynamic between taxonomic nomenclature and biological reality presents an interesting problem for both botanical and information management research.  As a move toward solutions for this problem, we are in the process of developing a full listing of names applied to Texas vascular plants.  When this is reasonably complete, we will then pursue digital systems that will provide both stability, for data managment and processing, and flexability, for institutional contribution and user access to the data.

Three digital checklists are in place and under active development:

A Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Texas (TAES) provides a digital replication of a published state checklist (1990) and a searchable index of names.  We are now working on correcting errors in the index and insure that this system provides an accurate view of the 1990 published checklist.  In addition, personnel at the Tracy Herbarium at Texas A&M are in the process of updating this listing for the state flora.

Checklist - Vascular Plants of Texas (BONAP-base) presents another aligment.  Initially derived from a Biota of North America Program listing for Texas (1999), this system will evolve, in terms of content, via dialog and interaction among those directly involved as data contributors to the Digital Flora of Texas project.  Based on local processing of local data files, this version will be replaced by a web-based checklist that is under collaborative control by those involved with the enterprise.

Vascular Plants of Texas - A Comprehensive Checklist including Synonymy, Bibliography, and Index (Stanley D. Jones, Joseph K. Wipff, and Paul M. Montgomery - University of Texas Press, 1997) represents an initial effort to bring the Greenstone Digital Library system into play for this type of floristic data.  Based on an electronic file provided by Stanley Jones (1999), we hope to expand content and updating options on this system.

CAUTION:  These are prototype systems that are under continuous development.

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