Welcome to GrassBase -
Descriptions
These pages
present a set of detailed morphological descriptions of all grass
species. The data set is a database that has been developed over many
years and is stored in DELTA format.
You can browse or print out descriptions or use them to check
identifications, write floral treatments, interactively identify
species and also as the basis of further taxonomic work.
By downloading the data set together with appropriate software you will
also be able to identify species interactively.
Feel free to use the information presented here, you can find out how
by reading the documentation (see the right hand menu) and please
remember to cite us in any
work you produce from this data.
What does this
site do?
This site presents good florastyle descriptions
for all grass species. You can browse them or use them to identify
grass species interactively. You can also download our synonymy
database which will allow you to find the accepted name, synonyms and
distribution for a grass species using any of its synonyms.
Who should use this site?
The anticipated audience is
broad. We envisage that the site will help people from amateur
enthusiasts to professional taxonomists obtain up to date and accurate
detailed descriptions of grass species from anywhere in the world and
to use this information to identify specimens.
What information is presented?
These descriptions are taken
from the available literature, including flora accounts and original
authors descriptions, supplemented in some cases by consulting
herbarium specimens. We are aware that many of these descriptions could
be improved and we encourage you to check our descriptions and to let
us know of any amendments or corrections that we can make. Please see
the "
How to make a contribution
page" for details of how to do this. With your help we will
be able to turn this into a truly powerful system.
Descriptions
- Generic Index
-
Index of all accepted grass names with links to the text descriptions.
-
- Species Index
-
Index of all accepted grass names with links to the text descriptions.
-
Search for a Species
- Search page that lets you search for part or all
of a name. Results provide a link to the text descriptions.
-
Identification /
Interactive Key / Query Data
-
Provides a link that launches our interactive key. This currently
requires that you have specific software installed on your PC to use
it.
Synonymy
The descriptions from database is can also be accessed from the World Grass Species Synonymy
database which additionally provides a complete guide to the
nomenclature of the World's grasses, as well as produce reports such as
regional checklists.