Anyone know of a website that describe flora by location?

[TheBadger]

Hey,

The study of plants is not just a science, its an obsession for thousands if not hundreds of thousands around the world. It stands to reason then that some place out there on the web there is a hub for info.

Has anyone come across a site that catalogs flora by location? So ideally a site where I could select a location on a map or by name and it would give me pitures and lists of plants that grow native in that location. something kinda interactive and fun would be great. But an academic site with no frills would be fine too.

Thanks.

[inkydigit]

Hi Michael...
Check here, may be some help, though uk based, should apply for most of Europe....
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/wild_plants/habitats/
Hope this helps a bit.
Cheers
Jason

[AP]

Web pages on the subject of Biomes. I am sure there is something out there but books are usually the best on this based on my own experience.

[TheBadger]

Hi Michael...
Check here, may be some help, though uk based, should apply for most of Europe....
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/wild_plants/habitats/
Hope this helps a bit.
Cheers
Jason

Thank you, there is some helpful info here for sure. I found the part on plants of Scotland pretty quick. Which is helpful to me because I am interested in very northern landscapes, not only Scotland though.
Only problem is the site is specific and not set up as a kind of searchable resource. The focus is mostly on conservation projects (which also provides good info/pics)

Web pages on the subject of Biomes. I am sure there is something out there but books are usually the best on this based on my own experience.

I am sure there is too. Just have to find it. I'll bet there is a perfect resource out there someplace. Just worried its not open to the public, like a lot of academic resources are not.

...

Found this, http://www.theplantencyclopedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Claims to have every plant ever recognized by botany. It is searchable, not sure yet how searchable. Or how many of the plants have photos and descriptions of growing conditions and life cycles. But should be a good start.

Hope this may be useful to others. If anyone comes across the web page to end all web pages on this subject, please let me know.

[AP]

That can be hard. I have not been to the Library in ages. I need to stop by a Barnes and Noble. 

[TheBadger]

Books (particularly of this  kind) are very expensive, are quickly outdated, and can not be updated without buying a new addition.

I have a very very nice full color comprehensive encyclopedia of succulents. I think it cost like 50 bucks, don't remember. But it only covers succulents. Books are not very cost effective for research on a topic like this.

[inkydigit]

hmmm, what about ebooks/pdfs?
a few here may be of use too:... ?
http://www.kew.org/discover/news/flora-west-tropical-africa-ebook1
http://www.digitalbookindex.org/_search/search010biolfloraaustraliana.asp
http://tai2.ntu.edu.tw/ebook.php
http://www.e-booksdirectory.com/listing.php?category=344

cheers
Jason

[TheBadger]

Cool, thanks 

[PabloMack]

The living plants are only the tip of the iceberg. Higher plants go back at least half a billion years but land plants didn't really take off until the Devonian which began about 420 MYA. My favorites are ancient and extinct land plants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devonian

Of course, true "flowering plants" didn't appear until the late Jurassic (about 160 MYA) and didn't become widespread until early Cretaceous.  But they probably had their roots during the Triassic around 245–202 MYA.