About our contributors; about Bruce
PlantID.net is a community project that assembles
database data, pictures and illustrations, local plant lists, and plant
descriptions. These elements are
organized to make it easy for you to ID and learn about California plants you
find in the field.
Database contributors include Calflora.org,
WildflowerSearch.org, NRDB.org, Bonap.org and the Jepson Herbarium.
Over 100,000 pictures and illustrations come from
well-respected photographers such as Keir Morse, Neil Kramer and Steve Matson,
and illustrators such as John Muir Laws.
You can rely on their ID accuracy because the authors are experts.
Local Plant Lists are chosen based on their ability
to cover all the plants a curious person is likely to find at a particular
location. Some lists are developed from
repeated surveys. Others are based on
the experience of local experts.
I try to avoid creating Local Lists from observation
apps. At this point the number of
observations (even though in the millions) is generally not sufficient to
create complete and accurate lists for specific locations.
Plant descriptions come from lots of research, field
observation, suggestions from our users, and review by local experts. These descriptions are both inherently less
accurate than other parts of the system and more important, because they
transform the rest of the material into memorable facts and stories.
As you’ll see elsewhere, it is easy for you to add
your knowledge to PlantID.net. When you
do, the whole PlantID.net community benefits.
About Bruce – I’m a retired database developer. I love to learn about plants in the wild
because it helps me notice more when I’m out.
Since 2012 I’ve spent about half time programming and adding content to
PlantID.net – a labor of love. I now get
to work with a large community of plant enthusiasts as we make PlantID.net an
extraordinary place to learn about California plants.