Botanical Literature Summary
of Reported Ranges
Data Synopsis
This dataset began as Data transcribed from Munz' A California Flora
and Supplement (1968) by Kwei-Lin Lum as part of her thesis work with
Peter J. Richerson at U.C. Davis. (Lum 1975 , Richerson and Lum 1980 ). In compiling
species summaries, Calflora translated the abbreviated names and coded
data of the Lum/Walker/Munz68 database. Calflora then used data from
the CNPS Inventory to update distribution and habitat data for 893
species in the Lum/Walker/Munz68 database and to add records for 849
taxa not already included in that database (that is, infraspecific
and new taxa).
The data was subsequently expanded to include all infraspecific
taxa recognized as occurring in California and updated to reflect
current nomenclatural usage. Adjustments to distributions for taxa
affected by changes in taxonomic delineation (lumps and splits)
were made using information from the Jepson Manual (Hickman 1993) to modify existing
records. Literature-based distribution data for taxa not previously
included in Calflora (mostly infraspecific taxa that are not rare)
represent Calflora's interpretation of distribution descriptions
in the Jepson Manual.
ID: lit_summary
Date first included:
This data formed the basis of Calflora distributions in the Calflora
taxon table from Calflora's inception contained in the fields 'regioncode'
and 'region_list'. This coexisted separately from Calflora Observation
Database information until subsumed into Calflora Occ.
Translated into Calflora Observation Database format and included
on 19 February 2001.
Last Update: 19 February 2001
Total Present Record Count:
132,661 records.
598,847 additional records are held in reserve (not
included at this time) for county 'absence' data and records modified
with CNPS 5th Edition information. Details are recorded in field-by-field
notes.
Updates? No. This dataset represents the distribution
knowledge of California plants known at a particular point in time.
It will serve as a historical reference in the future.
Sampling methods:
Error characteristics of the occurrence-based distribution data
are unknown. Users should make their own decisions on the reliability
of data of different types and from different sources. Documentation
and source contact information are provided for each occurrence
observation.
For literature-based distribution data, is important to note that
the type and rate of errors in geographic distribution are very
different for the three major literature sources. Lum was transcribing
generalized and sometimes vague range descriptions into concrete
presence/absence data for specific county and sub-county regions.
For most species, data were not verified with any other source of
information and, in addition to coding errors, represent only a
best estimate of the range of the species in question. Lum(Lum 1975) showed that while her data
are far from error-free, errors of assigning taxa to regions where
they do not occur are about equal in number to errors of not assigning
taxa to regions where they actually do occur. Consequently, her
data produce unbiased and quite accurate estimates of species numbers
but somewhat inaccurate species lists for given regions.
Regions used to describe plant distributions in The Jepson Manual
span multiple counties. Consequently interpretation of Jepson Manual
descriptions in terms of presence and absence in particular counties
and sub-counties is indefinite. All distribution records based on
Jepson Manual data are marked in the auth_collector field.
For species level taxa, the composite literature-based distribution
summaries presented in Calflora can be expected to have error characteristics
much like those Lum described. It can be expected to perform well
for analyzing broad patterns and general relationships, as demonstrated
by both Lum and Walker. It clearly performs less well in generating
accurate species lists for particular locations, but not so badly
that it is not useful for producing preliminary checklists for a
variety of applications. For infraspecific taxa, the composite literature-based
distribution summaries combine data that tend to underestimate range
(CNPS) with data that overestimate range (Jepson Manual). Error
characteristics of the combined data are unknown.
Conversion Notes:
Details are recorded in field-by-field notes.
Original Data was stored in Calflora taxon table as a single field
concatenation of presence/absence codes mapped by position to sub-county
regions (i.e."Abies bracteata" regioncode "F1F1FF..." might be "Alameda
county =F(absent), Alpine county = 1 (probably present), ...") This
information was based on several sources, the base layer being Munz'
A California Flora,subsequently modified by other sources.
The region code was decompiled to individual species-county occurrences
for inclusion here. See more detailed notes on this process in 'field-by-field
notes'.
Nomenclature::
Adjustments to distributions for taxa affected by changes in taxonomic
delineation (lumps and splits) were made using information from
the Jepson Manual (Hickman 1993) to modify existing
records. This required interpretation of taxonomic delineations
in some instances by Calflora staff. Ann Dennis was primarily responsible
for the modifications of data subsequent to it's inclusion in the
Calflora database.
Contact: Calflora staff can assist with the interpretations
of the data modification through time, but the composite dataset
reflects a synthesis of information from the sources listed in the
'auth_collector' field. Please consult these references for full
descriptive documentation.
Bureau of Land Management Eagle
Lake Field Office Herbarium
Data Synopsis:
This data originates as label data from the herbarium of the Eagle
Lake Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (SUS). The primary
purpose of the collection is to document plant species occurrence
and distribution across the Eagle Lake, Surprise Valley, and Alturas
Field Office Areas (formerly the Susanville District of the BLM).
Most of the specimens are from BLM lands in northeastern California
and northwestern Nevada, but some collections are from surrounding
area as well. Most of these specimens date from 1978 and 2000, and
most were collected by Gary Schoolcraft, who retired in July 2000.
The database from which these records are derived is maintained
by the Eagle Lake Field Office, but is not currently available elsewhere.
Duplicates of some specimens were distributed to other herbaria,
so some of the collections recorded here may also appear in other
herbarium datasets.
ID: eaglelakeherb
Date included: 5 February 2002
Total Record Count: 2,848
Updates? Periodic updates are expected, the herbarium collection
is growing and the label database is actively maintained.
Transcription Notes
Click here for detailed field-by-field
notes.
Identification Notes
All records are based on herbarium specimens. Most were identified
by Gary Schoolcraft (high reliability); and quite a few have also
been annotated by researchers from other herbaria.
Location Notes
Location data generally given to the township, range, and section,
plus a general description of location, county, state, and elevation.
Date Notes
Most records have exact day of collection.
Nomenclature Notes
Most names reflect nomenclature of the collection time (i.e. Munz,
Intermountain Flora, or Jepson Manual). Names have generally not
translated from the original observer's usage.
Sampling Methods
Collections were done in the course of a general inventory of BLM
lands, and as the opportunity arose. Generally, no attempt was made
to collect multiple specimens of a species across the district,
but to represent the majority of the species found in the area.
We have classed these as incidental observations.
Contact Information
Beth Corbin, Botanist
Eagle Lake Field Office
Bureau of Land Management
2950 Riverside Drive
Susanville, CA 96130
(530) 252-5305.
Audubon Canyon Ranch
Data Synopsis:
Records include invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2000
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: 349
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Audubon Canyon Ranch
Low Desert Weed Management Area: Coachella Valley Conservation Commission
Data Synopsis:
Records include invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2016
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: unknown
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Low Desert WMA
Santa Cruz State Parks
Data Synopsis:
Records include invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2011
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: unknown
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Santa Cruz SP
Marin County Parks
Data Synopsis:
Records include invasive and native plant populations in California.
ID: none
Date included: 2009
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: 26,264
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Marin County Parks
California Invasive Plant Council / CalWeedMapper
California Department of Food & Agriculture
Herbarium
Data Synopsis:
Records include weeds of California that have been vouchered
in the herbarium at the California Department of Food & Agriculture, and observations of weeds.
Specimens were collected mostly by CDA employees, and are theoretically
available for examination.
ID: weeds
Date included: 1997
Last Update: 2008
Total Record Count: 11,969
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner:
Fred Hrusa
California Department of Food & Agriculture
California Department of Fish and Wildlife:
Orange County
Data Synopsis:
Records include invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2018
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: 247
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: CDFW
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Data Synopsis:
Records include native and invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2012
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: 56,056
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Midpen
Monterey County Agricultural Department
Data Synopsis:
Records include native and invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2017
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: approx. 4,100
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Monterey Co Ag
Mount Tamalpais State Park
Data Synopsis:
Records include native and invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2012
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: 5,246
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Mount Tam SP
Nevada County Agriculture Department
Data Synopsis:
Records include native and invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2010
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: 7,056
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Nevada County Ag
Marin Municipal Water District
Data Synopsis:
Records include invasive and native plant populations in California.
ID:
Date included: 2010
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: 12,982
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: MMWD
California Department of Fish and Wildlife:
Natural Diversity Database
Data Synopsis:
The
California
Natural Diversity Data Base (CNDDB), part of the
NatureServe Natural Heritage Network,
is a computerized inventory of information
on the location and condition of California's rare, threatened,
and sensitive plants, animals, and natural communities. This information
is available from the Department of Fish and
Wildlife in the form of computer-generated reports and overlays.
The CNDDB has many more observation records for rare species
than appear on Calflora. The records that appear on Calflora
are a subset of the complete CNDDB collection,
and each record contains only several fields from
the corresponding complete CNDDB record.
This subset is intended to indicate the distribution of rare plant species
only at the quad or county level.
Researchers interested in this data are urged to obtain
the data from CNDDB directly rather than to rely on this subset.
ID: cnddb
Date first included: 1998
Most Recent Update: August 2019
Presentation Notes
This data data is presented in Calflora
as a checklist of rare plants for each quad.
Nomenclature
Scientific names in this dataset are consistent with the
the CNPS Inventory
Data Sources
-
The data sources for CNDDB data are comprised of
one or more of the following: herbarium specimens,
published literature sources with location data,
field survey data submitted to the CNDDB,
and data from unpublished "gray" literature
such as contracted reports.
CNDDB data is all geo-referenced and much of it is verified and
quality controlled. The data concerning a particular taxon
is not necessarily exhaustive, but rather represents
what was available to the CNDDB at the last update.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program
Data Synopsis:
ID: dfg_veg
Date first included: October, 2008
Sampling methods:
Rapid Assessment Protocol, Releve
Datasets available on Calflora:
Sequoia National Park 2000
Pinnacles 2003
Golden Gate Recreational Area and Point Reyes National Seashore 2003
Suisun Marsh 2006
Western Riverside County 2006
Sacramento-SanJoaquin River Delta 2007
Northern Sierra Nevada Foothills 2007
Yosemite National Park 2007
Pine Creek and Fitzhugh Creek Wildlife Areas 2008
San Felipe (San Diego Co.) 2010
Sonoma County 2011
Contact
DFW Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program
Department of Fish and Wildlife
Biogeographic Data Branch
1807-13th Street, Suite 202
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 324-3812
California Native Plant Society
Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California
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Dataset Synopsis:
The CNPS Inventory was originally assembled by staff and members of the California Native Plant Society
in an effort dating back to 1968.
Currently, occurrence information is
collected and maintained for CNPS by
the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW).
The Inventory presents a continuously updated summary of distribution and habitat information
on file for plant taxa considered by CNPS to be rare and endangered in California, along with CNPS's evaluation of the conservation status of each taxon.
The quad-level
occurrence summaries from the online version of the CNPS Inventory database have been transcribed here.
Rarity information from the Inventory is included in Calflora species accounts.
The full online version of the CNPS Inventory is available at the
CNPS Inventory website.
ID: cnps
Date included: 1998
Updates? Several times a year.
Total Record Count: ~ 20,000 records
The original dataset contains ~ 2,500 taxon records, each containing a
concatenated list of quads.
For inclusion in Calflora, these lists
are decomposed
into individual observation records per quad.
Date Notes
This dataset represents a summary of all observations, current and historic, that have been evaluated by CNPS and/or DFW. The original dataset does not include dates for the observations substantiating presence in particular quads or counties.
Nomenclature Notes
Nomenclature is updated continuously.
Because the scientific names in this dataset
are sometimes not supported by other nomenclature authorities,
Calflora treats CNPS as its own nomenclature authority
in the
Plant Name Library.
Contact Information
Questions and corrections on CNPS Inventory data content should be directed to:
Rare Plant Program
California Native Plant Society
2707 K Street, Suite 1
Sacramento, CA 95816-5113
California Vegetation Type Map
Cooperative Yellow Starthistle Mapping Project
Data Synopsis:
Database records for occurrence of yellow starthistle on the state
highway system in the Sierra Nevada. Many organizations, including
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), US Forest
Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, California Native
Plant Society, County Agricultural Commissioners and others, contributed
inventory data to map the extent of yellow starthistle in the
Sierra Nevada. Data included here were collected in 1999 and 2000.
These data are assembled, transcribed, and maintained by the California
Department of Food and Agriculture as part of the ongoing Sierra
Nevada Cooperative Yellow Starthistle Mapping and Assessment Project.
ID: ystmap
Date included: October 31, 2001
Total Record Count: 9864
Updates? periodic revisions are expected.
Transcription Notes
Additional metadata are available on the individual datasets that
were compiled by CDFA to form this composite dataset. Click here
for detailed field-by-field notes.
Identification Notes
No collections were made. These are primarily reports from trained
observers working under the direction of professional botanists,
but individual observations are unconfirmed and classified here
as 'report'.
Location Notes
Location data were provided to Calflora in the form of points
in decimal degrees. In most cases, these are centroids calculated
from polygon data stored by CDFA as ESRI shapefiles.
Date Notes
Most observations include exact dates.
Nomenclature Notes
All data pertain to Centaurea solstitialis L.
Sampling Methods
CDFA provided metadata on the original data files they combined
to form this dataset. The file ID is the 'collection' within the
composite dataset. Data files are classed as one of two sampling
types and provide the basis for assignment of sampling method
to individual observations. The two types of sampling methods
are:
- Detection=observation of YST occurrence not associated with
search or survey. These are classified as observation type
'undirected search'.
- Survey = positive occurrences noted during a survey of a
particular area or roadway for yellow starthistle. These are
classified as observation type 'directed search'.
In the few cases where survey type field was blank, observations
were classed as 'survey' based on contributors general description
of the dataset. Negative occurrence data (records of areas surveyed
where yellow starthistle was found to be absent) were also provided
but are not included in this Calflora transcription.
Contact
Rosie Yacoub
Sierra Nevada Cooperative Yellow Starthistle Mapping and Assessment
Project
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Sacramento, CA
Dean W. Taylor Herbarium Specimens
Data Synopsis:
Specimens collected throughout the career of Dean W. Taylor throughout
many regions of the state. Collections are especially strong in
rare & endangered taxa, disjunct populations, and new discoveries.
Some duplicate collections have been filed with the University and
Jepson Herbaria at UC Berkeley.
ID: wdt
Date included: May 14, 1999
Total Record Count: 11,437
Updates?
- additions, refinements and additional records expected periodically.
Identification Notes
- All identifications are by Dean W. Taylor, and sometimes additional
experts.
Nomenclature
Jepson Manual or later, Dean Taylor reserves the right to recognize
other taxonomic entities.
Contact:
-
Dean W. Taylor
Eldorado National Forest, Aspen Delineation
Project
Data Synopsis:
These data are from a survey of quaking aspen stands in the Eldorado
National Forest. Records included here were collected in 1999 and
2000, and provide information on location, habitat, stand size,
age composition, and presence of conifers within the stand. These
data are assembled, transcribed, and maintained by the Eldorado
National Forest, US Department of Agriculture as part of an ongoing
Aspen Delineation Project.
ID: aspen
Date included: 22 February 2002
Total Record Count: 229
Updates? Periodic revisions are expected.
Identification Notes
No collection vouchers were made. These are primarily reports from
trained observers working under the direction of US Forest Service
District Biologists but individual observations are unconfirmed
and classified here as 'report'.
All data pertain to Populus tremuloides
Michx..
Location Accuracy
Location data were provided in the form of UTM Zone
10 coordinates obtained from GPS readings. UTM locations recorded
in 1999 have a precision of approx. 200 feet (61 m). UTM stand recordings
in 2000 have a precision of <100 feet (30.5m). (Location precision
1999: 1.2ha, 2000: 0.3 ha)
Date Notes
Observations include year data was collected. Stands were sampled
in summer months, recorded here as 'August'
Sampling Methods
These data are classified as 'directed search' because they are
the product of searches for stands of this particular species. The
objective of the ongoing Aspen Delineation Project is to produce
a full inventory of aspen stands within the study area. Various
methods are used to locate aspen stands. Field observers visit each
site, and are instructed to obtain at least one UTM reading from
a GPS recorder for each stand observed. Stands are delineated as
separate stands if there is a separation of at least 150 feet between
aspen stems. Only one UTM reading for each stand is included in
this dataset.
Contact Information
David Burton
Aspen Delineation Project
Eldorado National Forest
(916)663-2574.
G.F. Hrusa checklists
Data Synopsis:
This dataset is a collection of checklists from various authors, transcribed by Fred Hrusa as an ongoing project.
The collection currently includes checklists for 126 locations around the state, with dates ranging from 1927 to 2005.
As well as transcribing species lists and location information, Hrusa has evaluated documentation level and ID reliability,
as well as brought older scientific names into a current nomenclatural usage. The individual checklists exist in hard copy form at various locations.
ID: hrusa
Date first included: 1997
Last Updated: February, 2006
Total Record Count: 28,541
Identification Notes
-
Hrusa evaluated authorship, methods, and existence of vouchers to classify levels of ID reliability. Observations he classed as 'highly reliable' are classed here as 'documented', and are generally vouchered observations from highly expert observers. All other observations are classed here as 'reported'. Authors of checklists are cited in the 'auth_collector' field, along with publication years and voucher locations, if available.
Location Notes
-
Locations are described by latitude and longitude of the center of the checklist area. Original values are in minutes and seconds. Location precision is based on Hrusa's estimate. Where available, Hrusa included area surveyed for the checklist, transcribed here in the 'plotsize' field.
Date Notes
-
Checklists span the period 1927 to 2005. Values of 'Field Years' from the original data were used to assign date precision values. Actual date precision is generally exact year. Checklists accumulated over several years are classed as '+-5 years' reflecting uncertainty of the year in which a particular plant was observed, not uncertainty about the dates of observation.
Nomenclature
Jepson Manual or later, older nomenclature in original data has
been updated by Fred Hrusa
Sampling Methods
-
Checklists spanning multiple field years were classed as 'cumulative arealist', checklists from a single field year were classed as 'onetime arealist', with individual observations from the lists labeled accordingly.
Contact Information
-
The dataset owner requests that users address questions to the staff at
Calflora
rather than contacting him directly.
- Fred Hrusa
- California Department of Food and Agriculture
Go Native, Inc.
Data Synopsis:
Records include invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2015
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: unknown
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Chuck Kozak, Go Native, Inc.
Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Data Synopsis:
Records include invasive plant populations in California.
ID: weeds
Date included: 2015
Last Update: 2021
Total Record Count: 10,258
Contact
- Staff at
Calflora
data owner: Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Presidio Vascular Plant Occurrence Database
Data Synopsis:
This database compiles observation data on vascular plants occurring within the Presidio of San Francisco from field surveys, published and unpublished lists, and herbarium specimen records.
It is maintained by the Presidio Trust, National Park Service, and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to serve as a documented checklist and repository for monitoring data.
Although the database as a whole houses checklist and specimen citations from the early 1800's onward, almost all the original field observations date from the period 1994 to 2010.
Most of these observations were made as part of survey efforts directed by staff botanists.
The Presidio Trust, National Park Service, and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy maintain the Presidio Vascular Plant Occurrence Database as an integrated data entry and reporting tool available in-house to staff and volunteers.
ID: GGNRA
Date included: April, 2004
Last update: May, 2010
Total Record Count: 13,841
Updates?
-
periodic additions expected
Identification Notes
-
Plant identifications were made by professional botanists or amateurs expert in the local flora.
Location Notes
-
Dataset contains location references to flora zones, watersheds, and sites available as GIS coverages.
Point locations are the centroid of a polygonal area, not the precise location of the plant within that polygon.
More precise locations may be available from the data owner on request.
Date Notes
-
Records included in Calflora are from the period 1816 through 2010.
Many contain the exact day of observation.
Sampling Methods
-
Most observations were made in the course of an organized sampling effort directed at documenting flora of particular sites and plant communities within the Presidio, documenting distribution and abundance of individual species, and compiling a complete vascular plant checklist.
Contact Information
Mark Frey
Presidio Trust
34 Graham St.
San Francisco, CA 94129
Harvard University Herbaria Type
Specimen Data
Data Synopsis:
Specimens in the type collection database at the Harvard University
Herbaria. Includes all type specimens from Harvard University
Herbaria, Arnold Arboretum, Farlow Herbarium, and Economic Herbarium
of Oakes Ames.
ID: huh_types
Date included: October 12, 1999
Total Record Count: 3209
Nomenclature
Various nomenclatures used, presumably the most current at the
time of specimen examination
Contact
David E. Boufford
Harvard University Herbaria
Illinois Natural History Survey Herbarium
Specimens
Data Synopsis:
ID: inhs
Date included: 2 November 1999
Total Record Count: 1136
Identification Notes
Collectors and collection numbers cited in 'auth_collector'
field when available.
Nomenclature
Presumably based on date that the specimen was collected or
most recently annotated.
Sampling methods
Varied based on collector. Most are either general collections
of an area, or directed expeditions in search of specific taxa.
Contact:
The Nature Conservancy
Data Synopsis:
Cumulative checklist compiled over years of observations for plants
reported to occur in individual Nature Conservancy lands.
Some checklists were compiled by professional consultant botanists,
others by volunteers or amateur botanists.
ID: tnc
Date included: 1997
Total Record Count: 4,476
Updates? unknown.
Conversion Notes
Dataset came without unique record identifiers, Calflora assigned
new ones.
Data compiled from individual TNC land units and published separately.
Land unit publication specified in 'collctn' field when available.
Dataset came with matching table of TNC land units containing
location information L/L DMS, TRS, county, etc.
About one quarter of observation dates are missing.
Identification Notes
Collector Name and collection number located in 'auth_collector'
field if available.
Nomenclature
Various nomenclatures used, depending on date, location and
observer.
Sampling methods
Unknown. Presumed a cumulative checklist of plants for
TNC unit compiled over time.
Contact
Checklists and Surveys
Data Synopsis:
This dataset includes surveys and checklists contributed by Calflora users.
Notable among these are checklists prepared and contributed by particular CNPS chapters, for instance
Checklists from the CNPS San Luis Obispo Chapter
Checklists from the CNPS Redbud Chapter
Checklists from the CNPS Santa Clara Valley Chapter
Checklists from the CNPS Kern County Chapter
Checklists from David Styer and associates in the area of Fort Ord (CNPS Monterey County Chapter)
This dataset also includes
botanical surveys and other plant checklists -- for instance,
surveys prepared as part of the CEQA documentation for a project.
Observations Contributed Online |
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Data Synopsis:
Observations of plants contributed by individuals through
the Calflora website,
or via one of the Calflora phone applications for data collection.
Observers range from professional
biologists to school aged children. Observers are self-categorized
into the following groups:
- Professional
Botanists: Those having a background or training
in botany, recognized as peers by professional botanists.
-
Amateur Botanists: Those without professional-level knowledge,
but experienced in the use of keys and descriptions, and/or
have expertise with the plants submitted.
- Other Observers:
Those without professional-level knowledge, but able to make
plant identifications.
Date included:
System design early 2002, Public release
August 1, 2002. Public re-release June, 2005.
Date of contribution to Calflora of each record is
included in record.
Updates?
Online contributors may update their records at any time.
Identification Notes:
Identifications are performed
by the individual observer. Identifications are not reviewed for
accuracy before inclusion in the Calflora library.
Nomenclature:
Contributors are requested to use
names in current usage,
but older names that are now considered
synonyms are also accepted.
Sampling Methods: Most observations are incidental
and not a part of a sampling design.
Location Accuracy:
When contributors enter records via a web application,
they may declare the location accuracy of their record in either area units
*acres, square meters) or linear units (the radius of a circle).
When contributors add records with a phone application,
an error radius is included from the GPS device,
which is then converted to square meters.
Accuracy depends on the particular equipment used and
situational factors.
A typical value from a phone application with mid-level equipment is an
error radius of 3.9 meters, or 47 square meters.
Contact:
Contact information for contributors is kept
private to minimize spam.
Some contributors have chosen to make their email addresses
available to other contributors on their Contributor Profile page.
Otherwise, to get in touch with a particular contributor,
please write an email to Calflora.
Consortium of California Herbaria 1 |
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ID: cch
Date first included: March 20, 2010
Date removed: May 24, 2021
Data Synopsis:
The Consortium of California Herbaria is a gateway to information from California vascular plant specimens that are housed in herbaria throughout the state. The database
includes information from two million specimens,
all searchable through a single interface. Originally developed in 2003 around botanical collections from University of California herbaria, the Consortium continues to grow as more collections are added.
Currently, collections from
more than 35 institutions are accessible through this interface.
History:
Prior to the inclusion of the CCH dataset in 2010,
Calflora received data directly from
University and Jepson Herbaria (Berkeley),
UC Riverside Herbarium,
California Department of Food and Agriculture Herbarium,
San Jose State University Herbarium, and the
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Herbarium.
A problem identified by all parties during this era was the
difficulty of keeping an up-to-date copy of each dataset on Calflora:
each institution's data was in a slightly different format,
and updating a dataset from a particular institution tended to be
a time consuming manual process.
The great promise of the CCH was to replace this piecemeal arrangement
with a centralized, mostly automated system wherein
each herbarium would make the latest version of
its own dataset available to the CCH, and the CCH would
make datasets from all herbaria available to Calflora in a
unified format. The intention was to reduce the possibility
of users seeing out-of-date data.
The intention was also to publicize the great work being done by
the CCH and its member herbaria by showing their records on Calflora.
Since these five herbaria are all members of the CCH, their
data was removed in 2010 when the CCH data was included.
How this data appeared on Calflora:
Geo-referenced records from the Consortium appeared as points in various Calflora
map interfaces, such as
What Grows Here? and
Observation Search.
Users may click through to see full details of any relevant
records on the CCH1 website.
Note that users can also view complete information
directly from the Consortium of California Herbaria on the
CCH1
web site.
Updates
-
According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
executed in October, 2009
between Calflora and the Consortium of California
Herbaria,
CCH staff and Calflora staff will
work together to update the data on Calflora on a regular basis,
at least quarterly.
From the beginning of the agreement through 2018,
the CCH data was available to Calflora through a feed.
The most recent version of this feed was through the
Berkeley Natural History Museums' GBIF Integrated Publishing Toolkit (IPT).
Calflora read this feed and updated its copy of the
CCH1 data several times a year.
As of May, 2019, the IPT feed was discontinued. The last time Calflora
successfully read the feed was in October, 2018.
How CCH data will be updated on Calflora going forward is not yet resolved.
As of October, 2015, the feed contained 1,994,000 records.
Of those, 1,347,000 records (67%) were useable,
in the sense that 1. they were
geo-referenced with an understandable location accuracy, and
2. the plant name was resolvable with reference to all current
scientific plant names and all historical synonyms.
Calflora also maintains a list of records from
CCH1 which users have pointed out are inaccurate, mostly because
the location description does not match the coordinates.
These records are excluded from default search results on Calflora,
and made available to CCH staff to augment the CCH's
other quality control mechanisms.
Location Accuracy:
An error radius is included for most records.
For many older specimen records that were geo-referenced after the fact,
the error radius values can be on the order of several kilometers.
Contact
-
Consortium of California Herbaria
Jason Alexander, Biodiversity Informatics Manager
Consortium of California Herbaria 2 |
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ID: cch2
Date first included: May 24, 2021
Most recent update: November 19, 2021
Data Synopsis:
CCH2 serves data from specimens housed in member herbaria of the Consortium of California Herbaria (CCH). This portal has a worldwide scope and a broad taxonomic basis including vascular plants, bryophytes, algae, fungi, and lichens.
These data are currently growing due to the work of the
California Phenology Thematic Collections Network.
This collaboration of universities, research stations, natural history collections, and botanical gardens aims to capture images, label data, and phenological (i.e., flowering time) data from nearly 1 million herbarium specimens by 2022. Data contained in the CCH2 portal will continue to grow even after this time through the activities of the CCH member institutions.
Currently, collections from
57 institutions are accessible through this interface.
How this data appears on Calflora:
Geo-referenced records from the Consortium appear as points in various Calflora
map interfaces, such as
What Grows Here? and
Observation Search.
Users may click through to see full details of any record on the CCH2 website.
Updates
-
According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
executed in March, 2021
between Calflora and the Consortium of California
Herbaria,
CCH staff and Calflora staff will
work together to update the data on Calflora on a regular basis.
The goal is for this update to happen monthly.
CCH2 data is available to Calflora through an API.
Contact
-
Consortium of California Herbaria 2 Data Portal
USDA Forest Service: Ecology Program
ID: fsecology
Date included:1997
Total Record Count: 15,861
Conversion Notes
Dataset came without unique record identifiers, Calflora assigned
new ones.
Taxonomic Names came encoded in ADP codes. Conversion to
expanded names uses the Calflora table [ADP-USFS].
Location data did not come with county name information. An attempt
was made to assign county name by translating Meridian/Township/Range/Section
into a lat/long centroid of the section. Then lat/long was
converted to county location by Fran Evanisko at BLM, but the
results have been problematic. County data warrants further processing
and refinement.
Identification Notes
Identification was performed in most cases by USFS botanists and
field biologists. Specific collector information was not
available.
Contact
Bruce B. Bingham
USDA Forest Service
Pacific Northwest Region
Arcata, CA
USDA Forest Service, Pacific North-West:
Forest Inventory Assessment
Data Synopsis:
Inventory data collected by the National Forest Service of vegetation
on National Forest Lands. The chief objective of forest inventory
is to provide data useful for planning, and allocating land resources
and management activities. Most observations are of economically
important species (i.e. timber trees) and co-associates.
ID: fiapnw
Date included: 1976
Total Record Count: 803
Contact
-
Timothy Swedburg and Charles Bolsinger
- USDA Pacific Northwest Research Station
- P.O. Box 3890
- Portland OR 97208
USDA NRCS-National Plants Data Center:
California County Occurrence Information from Botanical Literature
Data Synopsis:
Records represent vouchered observations published in botanical
literature and scientific journals. Most observations are by specialists
of the reported taxa, gathered during monographic, taxonomic or
floristic research.
ID: caco
Date included: 25 August 1998
Total Record Count: 79,912
Sampling methods
A list of journals
cited is available.
Contact:
USGS Central Mojave Vegetation Mapping Project
Data Synopsis:
This dataset contains field data gathered
in connection with vegetation classification and mapping of the
central portion of the Mojave Desert. Data were collected during
1997, 1998, and 1999 to characterize vegetation composition and
environment on 1242 plots. Data were gathered using plot-based
releve methods, and included a vascular plant species list with
cover value by species, landform and soil information, general
vegetation physiognomy, and human impacts. Fieldwork was carried
out under the direction of Kathryn Thomas, USGS Biological Resources
Division. Data presented here are part of a larger body of information
available in electronic form from the USGS.
ID: mojave
Date included: 18 July 2002
Total Record Count: 21,461
Transcription Notes
Identification Notes
Although specimens may have been collected, individual field
observations are not documented by specific specimens. Consequently,
these observations are classified as ‘reported’.
All observations are attributed here to Kathryn A. Thomas, who
supervised the project and reviewed work of field personnel.
Names of field crew members connected with individual observations
may be available from the data contributor upon request (see
contact information).
Nomenclature
Names used are generally consistent with Jepson Manual usage
(Hickman 1993). Names in this dataset are, with few exceptions,
the original names used by the field observers.
Date Notes
Exact date of survey was recorded for each plot.
Location Accuracy
Data were provided as UTM coordinates in NAD 83 datum. Field
crews used aerial photos, maps and military-grade GPS to find
preselected plot locations. Precision of locations provided
is estimated at 0.25 hectares (location of plant observed is
not more than about 25m from the point described by the UTM
coordinates). ‘County’ was not provided by the data
contributor, values here are interpreted from the UTM coordinates.
Sampling methods
These data are classified as 'plot list'. Data were collected
as comprehensive species lists of 1) perennial native plants,
and 2) annual and perennial exotic plants, for circular plots
of 1000 sq. meters. An environmental sampling framework was
developed using satellite imagery and other information to produce
an initial vegetation stratification. Then, for each class in
that stratification, a suitable number of sampling locations
1 square km in size were randomly selected. Within each 1 km
location, up to eight sample plots were selected to represent
the different topographic subclasses present. A report describing
these methods will be available on the Mojave Vegetation Project
website, http://www.mojavedata.gov.
Data presented here are from the first of three stages of sampling
used to develop the Central Mojave Vegetation Map.
Contact
Kathryn Thomas
USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
Colorado Plateau Field Station
Northern Arizona University
P.O. Box 5614, Bldg. 24
Flagstaff AZ 86011-5614
East Bay CNPS Rare and Unusual Plants Database
Data Synopsis:
Volunteers with the East Bay chapter of the California Native Plant Society
(EB-CNPS) have rigorously gathered plant observations for many years in
Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
They have compiled observations from many sources as well as direct
in-the-field surveys, and used this information to evaluate which species
are rare or threatened locally, but possibly more common elsewhere.
Over the years, criteria have been developed and a ranking system devised
to denote the degree of rarity and endangerment of these unusual plants
in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. A database is used to track
these plants and surveying, monitoring, and other research activities
continue every year to constantly reassess and update the status of these
plants in the two-county area.
Please see a complete description of this project on the
EB-CNPS website.
ID: ebrupd
Date included: November 2005
Last Update: July 2022
Ranked Lists
- *A1x- Species in Alameda and Contra Costa counties listed as rare, threatened or endangered statewide by federal or state agencies or by the state level of CNPS.
- *A1- Species in Alameda and Contra Costa counties listed as rare, threatened or endangered statewide by federal or state agencies or by the state level of CNPS.
- *A2- Species in Alameda and Contra Costa counties listed as rare, threatened or endangered statewide by federal or state agencies or by the state level of CNPS.
- A1x- Species previously known from Alameda or Contra Costa Counties, but now believed to have been extirpated, and no longer occurring here.
- A1- Species currently known from 2 or less regions in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
- A2- Species currently known from 3 to 5 regions in the two counties, or, if more, meeting other important criteria such as small populations, stressed or declining populations, small geographical range, limited or threatened habitat, etc.
- A?- Species that have been reported in the two-county area but identification is questionable and the species may not actually occur here.
- B- Watch List of plants that occur in 6 to 9 regions in the two counties. Not currently considered rare or endangered in the East Bay but that could become so if certain conditions persist such as over-development, water diversions, excessive grazing, weed or insect invasions.
- C- Watch List of plants that occur in 10 or more regions in the two counties. Not currently considered rare or endangered in the East Bay but have potential threats.
- Unranked- Plants previously tracked, but now found to occur in 15 or more regions in the two counties and not considered to have significant potential threats.
Contact
Dianne Lake
Unusual Plants Coordinator, East Bay CNPS
email
Yosemite National Park Natural Resource Inventory
Data Synopsis:
This dataset contains vegetation and habitat information for 362
sample plots established for vegetation inventory and mapping in
Yosemite National Park. Some of the survey plots were also used
for gathering information on fuel accumulation. Data were collected
by teams of field personnel working under the direction of Peggy
Moore, USGS Biological Resources Division, over the period 1988
to 1993. These data form part of an integrated in-house GIS library
for Yosemite. They are not available online or in published form.
ID: yosemite_nri
Date included: 26 February 2002
Total Record Count: 6,507
Transcription Notes
Identification Notes
Species determinations were made in the field by trained technicians
working under the direction of a botanist expert in the flora of
the region. Individual observations were generally not vouchered
and are classified here as 'reports'.
Nomenclature
Transcribed from field data in Munz-era
nomenclature.
Date Notes
Dates were recorded as exact day of observation in years from 1988
to 1993.
Location Accuracy
Plot locations were originally recorded as UTM coordinates with
a precision of 10 to 100 meters. These values were rounded to 1000
meters before submission to Calflora. More precise locations for
particular plots may be available on request.
Sampling methods
Occurrence observations are from 0.1 ha plots within a study area
that included all of Yosemite National Park. Plot locations were
selected on a stratified random bases, with strata representing
approximately 70 LANDSAT Thematic Mapper (TM) categories and 1,000
foot elevation zone. Four sites were selected within each elevation
zone/TM category combination. Plots were circular with a radius
of 17.84m. Observers recorded all vascular plant species present
within the plots. They also collected data on vegetation structure,
species composition, and a number of other plot attributes. Vegetation
types present within 100m of the plot were also recorded.
Contact
Peggy Moore
U.S. Geological Survey, Yosemite Field Station
P. O. Box 700
El Portal CA 95318
Cosumnes River Preserve
McLaughlin Reserve
Data Synopsis:
These data are from a plant list for the University of California, Davis' Donald and Sylvia McLaughlin Reserve and immediately adjacent public lands. A concerted effort to compile a complete species list for this locality has been undertaken over the past 25 years by rare-plant experts (consulting for Homestake Mining Company, the former managers of the property), ecologists conducting research on the property, and Reserve staff. While some reported occurrences remain unvouchered, the plant list for the most part is well documented and populations of sensitive species are well mapped both in space and time.
ID: mclaughlin
Date included: March 2007
Total Record Count: 699
Updates? periodic revisions are expected.
Notes on Location and Date:
Please contact Reserve staff to gain access to the Reserve before you attempt to either verify a record or conduct any additional exploration. Botanical explorations are encouraged but need to be arranged with site staff in order to ensure security of research and teaching occurring on the site.
Records in this dataset are not distinguished as to location;
all records are geo-referenced to a single point inside the Reserve.
Records in this dataset are not distinguished as to observation date;
the date shown on the records, July, 2005, represents when
the list of species was compiled, not when the plants were observed.
Vouchered specimens are kept at the UC Davis Herbarium or at the McLaughlin Reserve.
For the actual location of any species mentioned in the
dataset, or the actual date when specimens were taken,
please contact the Reserve.
Information about some of the vouchered specimens
kept at the UC Davis Herbarium
is available
from the
California Consortium of Herbaria website
.
Contact
Paul Aigner or Catherine Koehler
Resident Co-Directors
UC Davis - McLaughlin Reserve
26775 Morgan Valley Rd.
Lower Lake, CA 95457
Invasive Spartina Project
Overview:
The Invasive Spartina Project is a coordinated regional effort among local, state and federal organizations dedicated to preserving California's extraordinary coastal biological resources through the elimination of introduced species of Spartina (cordgrass).
Data Synopsis:
The ISP surveys the Bay annually to assess and map the distribution of introduced Spartina species. The mapping project is a field-based effort, utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) units to collect location and ecological data for each found population of invasive Spartina. Highly infested marshes are mapped by digitizing ground-truthed color IR aerial photos.
Calflora acknowledges the Invasive Spartina Project,
the State Coastal Conservancy, the Calfed Bay-Delta Program,
and the State Wildlife Conservation Board for use of this data
ID: isp
Date included: February 20, 2009,
from draft data provided by ISP on December 11, 2008.
Location Notes
Location data were provided to Calflora in the form of points
in an ESRI shapefile.
Contact
iNaturalist research grade
EddMaps
Data Synopsis:
EDDMapS
is a web-based mapping system for documenting
invasive species and pest distribution out of the University of Georgia.
Calflora has served California invasive plant data from EDDMapS since 2019.
Of particular interest is the data from the Forest Service
Natural Resource Information System (NRIS).
California State Parks WIMS
Data Synopsis:
Weed data collected by the California State Parks
WIMS
(Weed Information Management System) has been contributed to Calflora since 2010.
This
example search
shows WIMS data in Mendocino County.
Sonoma Ecology Center Arundo Mapping Project
East Bay Regional Parks IPM
Consortium of North American Bryophyte Herbaria (CNABH)
Data Synopsis:
Bryophyte data from
CNABH.
ID: cnabh
Date included: March 15, 2022
Updates: Several times a year.
Record Count: 51,459
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