Comprehensive and reliable: a new online portal of critical plant taxa in Germany

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Stefan Dressler - , Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (Author)
  • Thomas Gregor - , Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (Author)
  • Frank H. Hellwig - , Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Author)
  • Heiko Korsch - , Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Author)
  • Karsten Wesche - , International Institute Zittau, Chair of Biodiversity of Higher Plants, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig (Author)
  • Jens Wesenberg - , Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (Author)
  • Christiane M. Ritz - , Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (Author)

Abstract

Morphological identification of apomictic micro-species is difficult and requires detailed comparisons with referenced herbarium material. Access to such is limited because herbaria are scattered, and even in public collections misidentifications are not uncommon in these critical taxa. In close collaboration with taxonomic experts of the apomictic polyploid genera Hieracium, Pilosella, Taraxacum sect. Palustria (Asteraceae) and Alchemilla, Crataegus, Rosa, Rubus (Rosaceae), we established an online portal (http://webapp.senckenberg.de/bestikri/) displaying georeferenced and validated herbarium specimens for each respective micro-species of the German Flora. Our focus was on taxonomic reliability rather than on sheer data quantity and thus identifications were validated. We additionally offer macro-photographs as well as descriptions of taxonomically important morphological characters of the respective genera. Comprising currently >400 taxa, we trust the online portal will greatly facilitate research into difficult polyploid, apomictic taxa of the Central European flora.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1109-1113
Number of pages5
JournalPlant systematics and evolution
Volume303
Issue number8
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2017
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Keywords

  • Apomixis, Asteraceae, Digitized specimen, Natural history collections, Polyploidy, Rosaceae