New Look PlantNET

What's New in PlantNET version 2.0?

After many technical difficulties during 2003, the Botanic Gardens Trust is pleased to introduce a new version of the Plant Information Network System (PlantNET), launched on Friday 19 March 2004.

Several changes have been implemented so that more sophisticated information is available to PlantNET users.

The most significant addition to the site is the new N.S.W. FloraOnline module which provides identification keys, botanical descriptions, and images of the plants of New South Wales.

	* Interactive Identification Keys	This page demonstrates a method of combining existing dichotomous keys with multiple entry methods based on a reduced number of simplified characters. The matrix is scanned for entries matching the data input, and the dichotomous key is then pruned and reordered to include only matching taxa.
	* Traditional Dichotomous Keys	Select from a list of Families/Genera or use the key to classes of Vascular plants as Identification Keys.
	* Classification	The system of classification used at the National Herbarium of New South Wales (Botanic Gardens Trust) (NSW) to catalogue the plant of the State.

Increased Search options have been introduced that allow the user more detailed search criteria than were avaliable in PlantNET version 1.3. The Search options replace the old NSWplants module of the previous version. The user can search a region for a list of the plants (taxa) occurring in that region (based on collections held at the National Herbarium of New South Wales) and PlantNET can provide an identification key to these taxa.

	FloraSearch	Replaces NSWplants.
	–Simple Plant Name Search	Search any term that may be part of a plant name.
	–Search Plant Index	Select Plant names from an alphabetically sorted list.
	–Advanced Name & Feature Search	Search for plant names using names, subdivision, flowering, habit and habitat features.
	–Advanced Spatial Search	A complex search for plants that exists within a user/pre defined area.
	HerbLink	Search the catalogue of Type specimens.
	WeedAlert	Currently under re-development.

Although PlantNET is not fully functional yet, we hope that the new version will significantly improve the amount of information available to all PlantNET Users. The staff of the National Herbarium of New South Wales is currently working on completing the descriptions of all vascular plants that occur in the State. Once this is complete, new identification keys will be prepared to include all known plants of the State.

If you have any questions, comments or have found errors please contact the web designer.