Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0 by J. T. Kartesz, C. A. Meacham

5 Pages·2001·2.4 MB·English

by  Review By: George W Argus

RHODORA.
Vol. 103, No. 914, 233-237, 2001
pp.
BOOK REVIEW
Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0 by Kar-
T.
J.
CD-ROM
and Meacham. ©1999.
tesz C. A. interactive
soft-
MS
ISBN Windows
1-889065-05-6
ware. $495.00. NT,
3.1,
Minimum
95, 98 or 2000 operating system. system require-
MB
RAM,
ments: Pentium 90 MHz-elass 32 25
processor,
MB
SVGA
free hard drive space, display (800 by 600 pixel
from
resolution) with 16 colors. Available the publisher:
North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Car-
CB
olina Chapel #3375, Totten Center, Chapel
at Hill, Hill,
NC
27599-3375.
Botanists working with the vascular of North America
flora
have long needed a comprehensive, authoritative source of names
synonyms
o( vascular plants and their coupled with information
common
on geography, names, and
their biological attributes,
CD-ROM
comes
uses. This publication on very close to filling
The amount
that need. and quality oi the data included the
in
Synthesis, and ease of use, are very impressive.
its
The
purpose of the Synthesis to ''produce an accurate and
is
comprehensive database on taxonomy, nomenclature, phyto-
the
geography, and biological attributes of North American vascular
flora in combination with an effective software program for ac-
cessing the database." John Kartesz has created the database and
Meacham
Chris the software; both have done exceedingly well.
The
scope of the project so grand that one could be forgiven
is
for being skeptical about comprehensiveness, accuracy, and
its
effectiveness. But after using for some months connection
in
it
am
with Orchidales Flora North America,
editing the for of
I
how
very favorably impressed by completeness and by easy
its
to use.
is
it
The began two
Synthesis actually with the checklists of the
vascular flora of North America written by John Kartesz (Kartesz
1994; Kartesz and Kartesz 1990). The geographical scope of the
Synthesis has been expanded include North America north of
to
Mexico
(including the continental United States, Canada, the
French islands of Pierre and Miquelon, and Greenland), as
St.
well as Hawaii and the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and the
The taxonomy
U.S. Virgin Islands. in the earlier checklists has
now
been revised and includes 22.006 accepted species. Obvi-
233
234 Rhodora
Vol. 103
I
members
ously the author could not be a specialist on of this
all
but he has effectively relied on published literature and on
flora,
who
the counsel of a large group of taxonomists have either re-
viewed his work or provided original contributions. The taxon-
omy
presented reflects, in addition to the author's insights and
most
decisions, the recently published studies as well as the opin-
ions of specialists. The synonymy, which probably includes well
over 300, 000 names, permits the user most names
to find that
some names
have been used our even unpublished
in flora; as yet
have been however,
included. unfortunate, that the basis for
is
It
the taxonomy not referenced because would be useful
to
is
it
know whose The come
opinion being followed. nearest one can
is
determining taxonomy,
to the authority for a particular therefore,
to check the of Taxonomic, nomenclatural, and/or phyto-
is list
geographic data contributors and reviewers" and what
to infer
may
have
input the authorities had.
listed
Information on the distribution of about 28,000 taxa given
is
some
to the state level or equivalent. For most occurrences
its
when map
form of documentation For example,
available.
a
is is
displayed and the cursor is placed on a state or province, a fly-
over window displays the documentation. Sometimes may
this
monographic
cite a published flora or study, a reference to a Nat-
ural Heritage Program report, or a voucher specimen an her-
in
A
barium. Sometimes simply "present." random sample
states
it
of 50 taxa showed documentation was provided about
that for
some
two-thirds of them. example Poaceae,
In families, for the
no documentation provided. This means that user satisfaction
is
will vary depending on the group being queried. In addition to
documentation, which
the states a taxon occurs are color-coded
in
An
whether
to indicate present, rare, extirpated, or extinct.
is
it
interesting feature the use of cross-hatching to indicate that a
is
The
taxon's occurrence there questionable. inclusion of even
is
who
monographer ma>
unlikely reports will be very useful to the
/
wish follow up every of phytogeographical
to lead. Lists the
lit-
and
erature periodicals consulted are provided.
The
Synthesis includes information each taxon under
for the
headings: major plant group, habit, duration, nativity, weeds and
invasive plants, habitat, morphology, trophic level, rarity and en-
human
demism, American
use Native medicinal
plants, toxicity.
and
uses, plants that attract, U.S. federal lands. This part of the
database not as complete as those on nomenclature and phy-
is
Book Review
2001]
Much
togeography. of the information seems to have been de-
from
veloped connection with specific contracts, usually U.S.
in
federal agencies, and the information not complete for the en-
is
Exceptions and endemism, which
flora area. are rarity for
tire
was made from Nature Conservancy,
extensive use of reports the
Committee on Endangered Canada
the the Status of Wildlife
in
(COSEWIC),
and Canadian Information
the rare plants project.
on Native American medicinal use also relatively complete
is
inasmuch as incorporates a two-volume work on the subject
it
(Moerman few
1986). But, for example, only a habitat types are
made The
included and no mention of weediness Canada.
in
is
section dealing with biological attributes an interesting addition
is
major
the database but not strength.
to
is its
when
and
found the software to be relatively intuitive to use,
I
was confronted with problems the documentation was thorough
I
and clearly presented. The windows are well arranged and can
be customized. very easy perform the basic oper-
easily to
is
It
ways names
and
ations of listing taxa in various to relate to ge-
The and
ography. software also facilitates questioning the data
combining name, geography, and biological attributes a variety
in
One members
of ways. can, for example, of a genus for
list all
a single state or group of states, or list all taxa for one or more
may
and The comprise only accepted
states provinces. lists sci-
may
names, with or without authority, or include syno-
entific
nyms may
(which be arranged thesaurus or checklist format)
in
common One woody
or names. can create plants, aquatic
lists o\'
—
name The
you taxonomic
plants, exotic plants, toxic plants
it.
combined
and geographic information then can be with biological
woody Amer-
information, example: taxa used by Native
for
all
icans in Ontario. In all cases the lists created can be saved as a
file.
my
From point of view, the most important shortcoming of the
Synthesis that the phytogeographical data are given only to the
is
This serious problem western
state/province/territory level. a in
is
and Canada where
United States, Alaska, state-level units are
very large and the generalized coloring of these areas does not
much
provide understanding of distribution. have been told,
I
now
however, the database being supplemented with coun-
that
is
where enhance
ty-level data, available; that will the display
is
it
many much
do
of distribution patterns for regions but will not
it
Canada where
for northern or western or Alaska, county-level
236 Rhodora
[Vol. 103
subdivisions are lacking. should be noted, however, while
that
It
distribution for the Northwest Territories displayed by the gen-
is
eral coloring of the entire territory, the occurrence of species on
each of the islands the Canadian Arctic Archipelago docu-
in
is
new
mented Nunavul
separately; the territory of not included.
is
The authors are presently working on the completion of docu-
mentation. Even when done, however, problems remain
will
is
it
whose
assessing the distribution of taxa circumscriptions have
in
been changed by taxonomic
study, or verifying the
in identifi-
cation of range extensions.
Plans for future updates are almost as ambitious as the Syn-
proposed
thesis that future editions will include infor-
itself. It is
mation on introductions, degree of invasiveness, national ende-
mism, expanded mor-
a U.S. national rare plant illustrations,
list,
random
phological categories, a access (polyclave) key, and
much
much,
more.
Finally, a concern that would have before purchasing the
I
Synthesis purchased from North Carolina
cost. directly the
is its If
Botanical Garden, the price U.S. $495.00 plus shipping (Ca-
is
nadian $756.00; sales should include two tree upgrades).
all
am many
While
sure this represents true value, not individual
its
I
botanists will be willing or able to pay this price. However,
li-
governmental and
braries, agencies, consulting firms will find
it
mine
a baruain, for the Synthesis a szold of information.
is
The
Synthesis not only a completely synonymized, search-
is
able checklist of the flora of North America, but can be used
it
What
to create checklists to suit any need. more, the of
is list
names new
accepted constantly being revised taxonomic
as
is
studies are published or as volumes of the Flora of North America
appear in print. In that respect should be noted that the Syn-
it
thesis not a substitute for Flora of North America, but rather
is
companion The
a helpful to Synthesis does not have keys to
it.
genera and names
species, descriptions, bibliographic citations for
and basionyms, outline maps, or discussion of taxonomic prob-
lems; but does permit the manipulation of names and the link-
it
names ways
ing of information those hard-copy
to in that a flora
cannot.
For years there has been of computerizing taxonomic
talk in-
formation. John Kartesz and Chris Meacham. with help from
a
host of collaborators, have slowly and methodically been doing
something about The Synthesis presents the botanical com-
it.
Book Review 237
2001]
modern
munity with a very useful, botanical tool that integrates
nomenclatural, phytogeographic, and biological information a
in
way dreamed
once could only be about.
that
LITERATURE CITHD
A
Kartesz, 1994. Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the
T.
J.
United States, Canada, and Greenland, 2nd ed. Timber Press. Portland.
OR.
A
and R. Kartesz. 1990. Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular
Flora of the United Slates. Canada, and Greenland. Univ. North Carolina
Chapel NC.
Press, Hill.
Moerman, D. 1986. Medicinal Plants of Native America, Vols. and 2. Univ.
I
Ann
Michigan, Arbor, Ml.
—
Museum
George W. Argus, Curator Emeritus, Canadian of
KOG
Nature, R.R. 310 Haskins Rd., Merrickville. Ontario NO,
3,
I
Canada.