View Full Version : Good Flora & Fauna Links
This thread is for good links on Flora & Fauna to help with the identification and provision of pictures etc
Please make sure that the links are good quality ones, a few of them will be better than a stack of chaff ones. :D
Plants for a Future - Home Page (http://www.pfaf.org)
Plants for a Future - Edible, Medicinal and Useful Plant Database - Over 7000 Plants in a Searchable Database (http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/D_search.html)
Natural Dye Plants - Plants for dyeing fabrics (http://www.pioneerthinking.com/naturaldyes.html)
Poisonous Plants Database (http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/)
Native American Ethnobotany (http://herb.umd.umich.edu/)
Plant Image Gallery - a gallery of over 630 species of plants (http://www.noble.org/imagegallery/)
It might be an idea if people put a short description of what’s on the site, although I appreciate that if I says it's about poisonous plants it probably is!
Cheers
Moonraker
26-04-2005, 10:32
Site:
Plants For A Future - Homepage (http://www.pfaf.org/)
Plants For A Future - Database Search (http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/D_search.html)
Description From TheSite:
Plants For A Future is a resource centre for rare and unusual plants, particularly those which have edible, medicinal or other uses. We practice vegan-organic permaculture with emphasis on creating an ecologically sustainable environment and perennial plants.
Plants For A Future (PFAF) is a great database resource with 7300 edible medicinal and useful plants, each with a very detailed entry and can be searched in a number of ways.
Search Options
Name, Common Name or Family
an Edible, Medicinal, or Other Use
plants native to a particular geographical Area
plants which grow ina particular Habitat
every field for a particular Word
Plant Information Includes:
General Description (including Botanical (Latin) Name, Common name, Known Hazards, Range (Geographical), Habitat, PFAF Rating 1-5, Other Common Names, Epithets, Other Range Info.
Physical Characteristics
Habitat and Possible Locations
Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Other Uses
Cultivation details
Propagation
PFAF Web Pages (PFAF Database Help etc)
Web References (both text and images elsewhere on theweb)
References (bibliography)
Summary:
Great source of information for over 7000 plants with excellent detail on general usage, edibility and medicinal use all in one place. Very useful for checking variations of common names and the names used in other countries. Good links to reference material. Comprehensively written information. No illustrations but each page has links to images available elsewhere online.
Moonraker
26-04-2005, 15:24
Site:
USDA - PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov/)
The United States Dept. of Agriculture 'Nature Resources Conservation Service' PLANTS Database is a very comprehensive and well illustrated plant information and identification database. Whilst being obviously US centric, it contains many plants also found in Europe.
Description From The Site:
The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. It includes names, plant symbols, checklists, distributional data, species abstracts, characteristics, images, plant links, references, crop information, and automated tools. PLANTS reduces costs by minimizing duplication and making information exchange possible across agencies and disciplines.Search Options:
Common Name
Botanical Name
Advanced Query
Alternative Crops
Characteristics
Checklists & Searches
Classification
Culturally Significant
Distribution Update
Excluded and Anomalous Names
Fact Sheets
Invasive & Noxious
Plant Materials Publications
Threatened & Endangered
Wetland Indicator Status
Plant Information Includes:
Botanical Name
Group (taxonomical information)
Family (taxonomical information)
Growth Habit (short description)
Duration (life span i.e. annual, biennial, perennial)
US Nativity (Native and/or Introduced)
Colour Photograph (generally very good quality)
Plant Image (small line drawing with link to a much larger .tiff format version. Very useful for closeup details of plant)
Plant Distribution By State (graphic representation)
Plant Classification (full details of scientific taxonomy)
Plant Source & Reference (online links, bibliography etc for further study)
Related Taxa (related genera & species)
Classification (full details of taxonomy/ plant family & naming)
Invasive Information ( invasive non-natives and potential weeds)
Introduced Information (where the plant came from if introduced)
Other Species Accounts & Images (various references)
Related Web Sites (online links)
Of special interest for bushcraft are the:
Culturally Significant Plants Section (http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=cultural.cgi)
and the:
Fact Sheets Section (http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=fact_sheet.cgi )
(both accessible from the homepage also).
Plant Guides and Fact Sheets: a partnership between the National Plant Data Center and the Plant Materials Program.
Click on a .doc or .pdf link below to view a Plant Guide or Fact Sheet, or click on a name to view its Plant Profile with more information. Fact Sheets provide brief descriptions of a plant, its uses, and cultural recommendations. Plant Guides are similar but more extensive.The downloads provide a 2-4 page colour guide, available in .pdf or .doc format. The guides contains more detailed text and also information on the plants use including: 'Ethnobotanic (past use of plants), Wildlife and Agroforestry.
Summary:
A very comprehensive plant database strong on illustrations (both photographic and line drawings), lots of scientific detail and links to further information of all kinds. Not strong on written descriptions. The 'Culturally Significant Plants' and 'Plant Guides' sections are especially useful for bushcraft purposes with freely downloadable .pdf files available.
Notes:
The common names are those used in the USA and often differ from the name used for the same plant in Europe. The Plant Guides include alternative names including British ones. Or check the PFAF (http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/D_search.html) site for a list of the different names used for each plant.
Moonraker
01-05-2005, 13:41
Site:
A Modern Herbal - Mrs. M. Grieve (http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/mgmh.html)
Summary:
Although published back in 1931, this remains a great source of information including medicinal, culinary, cosmetic and economic properties, cultivation and folklore of over 800 herbs and plants to be found in the British Isles. Whilst informative, it also conveys Maud Grieve's passion for the subject she wrote so eloquently upon. The 'Index of Recipes' (http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/recipe.html) includes many tasty dishes and medicinal preparations, whilst the 'Index of Poisionous Plants' is useful but by no means complete.It is hosted by Botanical.com (http://www.botanical.com) where you can order a printed version.
It is full of interesting facts from other countries also. Note the comment highlighted in red from the site regarding using this information in practice. It is one of the best online re sources on the subject
Description From The Site:
A Modern Herbal, first published in 1931, by Mrs. M. Grieve, contains Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-Lore of Herbs.
Plant & Herb Index More than 800 varieties of herbs & plants
Index of Recipes A listing of 29 plants that include recipes
Index of Poisons A listing of 44 plants that are listed as poisonous
Regarding cultivation - Keep in mind that this was written in England, with a climate similar to the Pacific Northwest in America.
For Medicinal Use - Bear in mind it was written with the conventional wisdom of the early 1900's. This should be taken into account as some of the information may now be considered inaccurate, or not in accordance with modern medicine. Search Options:
Common Name
Word Search
Index of Recipes
Index of Poisons
Plant Information Includes:
Common Name (British)
Botanical Name (Latin)
Recipes
Medicinal Uses of the Nettle
Constituents
Action and Uses
Preparations
Other Uses
Synonyms
Parts Used
Plant Image (small line drawing with link to a larger version. Very useful for closeup details of plant)
Notes:
Keep in mind that this was written in England, with a climate similar to the Pacific Northwest in America.
There is a very useful introduction and list of British tree included in 'A Modern Herbal' at The-Tree.Org.UK - Trees from "A Modern Herbal" (http://www.the-tree.org.uk/BritishTrees/MrsGrieve/mrsgrieve.htm)
TheViking
01-05-2005, 13:49
Good site for north american wildlife. Some of the species can be found here too though. http://www.geocities.com/~pack215/wildlife.html :)
Moonraker
01-05-2005, 13:55
Good site for north american wildlife. Some of the species can be found here too though. http://www.geocities.com/~pack215/wildlife.html :)
Thanks Andy. Perhaps this would be best in a similar Sticky thread under the 'Tracks' section? Then someone could organise and provide summary info for each site like here for Flora & Fauna. Then it will reduce repetition and keep the Sticky links focussed and clear.
Just a suggestion ;)
Moonraker
01-05-2005, 15:31
Site:
RogersMushrooms (http://www.rogersmushrooms.com)
Summary:
Based on Roger Phillips seminal work 'Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain and Europe' It has over 1500 species and 3000 illustrations! and all the info found in the books including the original and excellent photos, text comments etc. All the info is on one page for each species with clickable photos for larger version. The Visual key (http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/visualkey.asp) and Easy key (http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/chooser.asp) offer great search options to help find the mushroom you are looking for even if you do not know the name. Lovely recipes and notes on edibility/ uses. You have the option to buy the image/ photo but otherwise there is no crumby advertising or such like... quite stunning.
Description From The Site:
The site is based on Roger Phillips seminal work 'Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain and Europe' and the similar book published on the mushrooms and Fungi of North America. Roger's twenty-year
study will make the site the most complete collection of photographs and mushroom
information from both sides of the Atlantic ever assembled. We already have over
3000 images on our site to help you identify and learn more about the mushrooms
of Europe and North America!
RogersMushrooms is now completely free to access!Search Options:
Common Name
Word Search
Index of Recipes
Index of Poisons
Plant Information Includes:
Common Name (British)
Botanical Name (Latin)
Recipes
Medicinal Uses of the Nettle
Constituents
Action and Uses
Preparations
Other Uses
Synonyms
Parts Used
Plant Image (small line drawing with link to a larger version. Very useful for closeup details of plant)
Notes:
The mushroom index uses only botanical names. If you want to find one with the common name use the 'keyword search' box (on the left hand side)
Do take note of the disclaimer and information contented in it regarding the dangers of poisoning etc.
Moonraker
01-05-2005, 15:57
DRAFT INFORMATION - MORE TO FOLLOW
Sounds a mouthful ;) but is a very interesting resource to find out more about how the Native American Peoples used plants both for food, medicine, cordage etc. A very comprehensive database with many plants which can also be found the British Isles and Europe. Hosted by the University of Michigan, USA
Native American Ethnobotany - A Database of Foods, Drugs, Dyes and Fibers of Native American Peoples, Derived from Plants (http://herb.umd.umich.edu/)
A search for 'Nettle' (Urtica dioca) for instance gives 234 results! (note searching for 'nettles' only gives 18) Including both use of the plant and use of other plants to treat nettle stings for instance.
Just a few examples:
Urtica dioica L.
Stinging Nettle; Urticaceae
Okanagan-Colville Drug (Antirheumatic (External))
Fresh plants used to beat the skin after "sweathousing" and for rheumatic and arthritic pain.
Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy 1980 Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington. Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum (p. 140)
Urtica dioica L.
Stinging Nettle; Urticaceae
Mohegan Food (Vegetable)
Combined with pigweed, mustard, plantain and dock and used as mixed greens.
Tantaquidgeon, Gladys 1972 Folk Medicine of the Delaware and Related Algonkian Indians. Harrisburg. Pennsylvania Historical Commission Anthropological Papers #3 (p. 83)
Urtica dioica L.
Stinging Nettle; Urticaceae
Hesquiat Fiber (Cordage)
Dried, peeled stems used to make twine, ropes and herring nets.
Turner, Nancy J. and Barbara S. Efrat 1982 Ethnobotany of the Hesquiat Indians of Vancouver Island. Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum (p. 76)
Urtica dioica L.
Stinging Nettle; Urticaceae
Nitinaht Other (Hunting & Fishing Item)
Plants rubbed on fishing lines to eliminate human odor.
Turner, Nancy J., John Thomas, Barry F. Carlson and Robert T. Ogilvie 1983 Ethnobotany of the Nitinaht Indians of Vancouver Island. Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum (p. 112)
Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis (Ait.) Seland.
California Nettle; Urticaceae
Chehalis Drug (Dermatological Aid)
Decoction of roots used as a hair wash.
Gunther, Erna 1973 Ethnobotany of Western Washington. Seattle. University of Washington Press. Revised edition (p. 28)
Artemisia dracunculus L.
Wormwood; Asteraceae [note: not the absinthe type but French Tarragon :)]
Shoshoni Drug (Dermatological Aid)
Decoction of whole plant used as a wash for nettle stings.
Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer 1941 Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada. Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture (p. 39, 40)
Each listing has a link for the plant at the United States Department of Agriculture - Plant Database (http://plants.usda.gov/index.html) which is in itself a great resource full of info on plants, again many of which grow over here.
Check out the entry for Nettles - Urtica dioca (http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=plant_profile. cgi&symbol=URDIG)
and links to very decent and large botanical illustrations:
small version:
http://plants.usda.gov/gallery/standard/urdi_001_svd.jpg
large image (online)
Urtica dioica L. stinging nettle (http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/large_image_rpt.cgi?imageID=ur di_001_avd.tif)
Moonraker
01-05-2005, 16:43
Site:
BioImages - Virtual Field-Guide (UK) ( http://www.bioimages.org.uk/)
Summary:
Extensive online database of photographic images for both the Flora and Fauna of the British Isles. Over 48,000 images depicting some 4500 species. Not a flashy site but easy enough to navigate and with good photographs, often multiple ones for each species including very detailed images of flowers,fruit and foliage. If you are not familiar with botanical names the best place to start is the Shortcuts (http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/SHORTCUT.HTM) page with a list of common name groupings (i.e. 'mushrooms and toadstools', 'butterflies and moths' etc)
Description From The Site:
Welcome to BioImages, the Virtual Field-Guide for UK Bio-diversity.
Content: This site offers a large selection of pictures of Natural History objects, mostly British in origin.
Purpose: The images are presented to illustrate biodiversity and as an aid to identification. While pictures alone are generally NOT sufficient for identification, by showing different stages, states and views of the organisms more information can be offered than is available in field-guides.
How to find your way around: BioImages is arranged in the normal biological classification (or at least my interpretation of it.) This is a hierarchical system with species grouped in genera, genera in families, families in orders and so on up to kingdoms and superkingdoms. Living Things takes you to the top of the classification tree.
Searching: BioImages is indexed by Google (you can enter English or Latin names)
Browsing: If you just want to browse, Shortcuts takes you to a list of links to groups of organisms. You can then go directly to the group your are interested in. Then follow the links down to the species you want to see.
At the foot of each page in the classification hierarchy is a row of links to take you back up the hierarchy. Using these and the "down" links in the body of the page you can navigate sideways.
This is a large site containing (Mar 05) 48,000 images depicting 4,500 species. The images include habitat shots, close-ups, macro shots and microscopy. Enjoy!
Search Options:
See 'Description From The Site' above for details.
Plant Information Includes:
See 'Description From The Site' above for details.
Notes:
Really great for close up, detailed photographs of plants and animals. No text just shot descriptions of the images.
redcollective
05-05-2005, 10:22
http://www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/trees/home.html
Moonraker
05-05-2005, 10:38
http://www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/trees/home.htmlNice link recollective. It is one of the best plant identification sites for British plants and is on my list to summarise ;)
aquanaut
06-05-2005, 14:45
useful Link (particularly in Scottish context)
Flora celtica (http://193.62.154.38/celtica/scotuseb.htm)
includes
Useful Fungi of Scotland
Coastal plants and their uses
Uses of Seaweeds
Scottish native plants in drinks
also see this (http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/celtica/dbase/uses/USES1.HTM) part of their site
Moonraker
06-05-2005, 21:23
useful Link (particularly in Scottish context)
Flora celtica (http://193.62.154.38/celtica/scotuseb.htm)
includes
Useful Fungi of Scotland
Coastal plants and their uses
Uses of Seaweeds
Scottish native plants in drinks
also see this (http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/celtica/dbase/uses/USES1.HTM) part of their site
Nice link there aquanut, thanks :)
Another one which I found recently you might want to check out which covers Scotland and has some really excellent info on ethnobotany and foraging is:
NTFPs (Non-timber forest products ) in Scotland (http://www.forestharvest.org.uk/)
Sounds a bit off putting at first glance but they have amongst other good stuff this:
NTFPs in Scotland - Gathering (http://193.62.154.38/ethnobotany/ntfp/gathering.htm)
and especially this excellent:
Gathering Calendar (http://193.62.154.38/ethnobotany/ntfp/calendar.htm)
Well designed and presented with links to all the plants. Good source of advice on legalities etc of foraging in Scotland.
Another site which I found very useful for plant info with good photography is:
Skye Flora (http://www.plant-identification.co.uk/skye/)
happy foraging :)
Moonraker
21-05-2005, 11:37
A couple of nice British tree sites, with images, descriptions, use for fuel, carving, medical etc.
Probably the most comprehensive:
the-tree.org.uk - British Trees, native & introduced (http://www.the-tree.org.uk/BritishTrees/British_R.htm)
Includes native and non-native, about 130 trees.
british-trees.com - An Introductory Guide to Native British Trees (http://www.british-trees.com/guide/home.htm)
Good info and photos on all 33 British Native Trees.
Quick Identification of trees by their leaves:
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/quickidtreeleaves.htm
http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/
Good clear images of the more common varieties
List of free download guides to tropical plant and animals by country
Plants Trees etc
http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/plantguides/rcg_intro.asp
Animals
http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/animalguides/rcg_intro.asp
This is quite extensive, but requires patience to search what you are looking for.
Over 1500 species (and variants) from north America and Europe.
Rogers Mushrooms (http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/)
Moonraker
03-11-2005, 16:34
This is quite extensive, but requires patience to search what you are looking for.
Over 1500 species (and variants) from north America and Europe.
Rogers Mushrooms (http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/)
It is a great site stovie, so good it is already on the list here :D
Rogers Mushrooms (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showpost.php?p=80414&postcount=9)
It is a great site stovie, so good it is already on the list here :D
Rogers Mushrooms (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showpost.php?p=80414&postcount=9)
OOPS!!!!
Believe it or not, I did look first... :o
Must have been blinded by the volva headlights :D
Anyway, it's a good site, and worth posting twice ;)
This is a big archive of medicinal plants with images drawings and illustrations.
http://www.swsbm.com/homepage/
Also a lot of herb manuals and books.
http://plantaardigheden.nl/plant/beschr/default.htm
Good site for dutchies, interested in plants.
It's possible to do a search / click a plant and see it's description, uses, folklore, habitat, etc.
It even has a section with an old scanned herb book (1554)!!
And a Wiki:
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angiosperm_Phylogeny_Group
Not very much info, but it contains pictures - and can even be viewed if you don't understand dutch (it's mostly latin on the first page, which I don't understand - but can manage by clicking away :p)
If you alter the "nl" part in the URL for "en" you'll find the english version of the page ... containing even less info :(
EDIT:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Group website:
http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/welcome.html
a wee bit scientific, but good info on classification etc.
Contains maps with spreading details in the world.
Tree identification:
http://www.bomengids.nl/hoofdsleutel.html (in dutch)
http://www.bomengids.nl/uk/hoofdsleutel.html (in english)
EDIT 2 (20 Feb.):
http://www.reticule.co.uk/flora/
Possibility to ID a plant, also have a look in the link section en recommended booksection (links to Amazon, regarding good plant books - including 2 Flora's of the British Isles).
Moonraker
17-08-2006, 14:57
Good resource for wild flowers in NW Europe, with colour photos and good botanical descriptions in an online database (English);
Interactive Flora of NW Europe (http://ip30.eti.uva.nl/bis/flora.php?menuentry=inleiding)
In total 3525 species, subspecies and varieties placed in 166 families are includedEnjoy ;)
woodwalker
17-08-2006, 18:56
A plethora of tree knowledge, not just on I.D but lots of other of interesting stuff.
royal forestry society (http://www.rfs.org.uk/)
woodwalker
Hello there,
I just thought I would let you know about this website I found, It is a tree search database which enables people to identify a tree by its common name / scientific name, its fruit type or by its leaf type.
For beginners like me with virtually no experience to fall back on I think this could be a handy site.
I hope you find it useful.
www.oplin.org
>link "What tree is it?"
www.botanicalkeys.co.uk
good site
Barn Owl
28-04-2007, 21:32
Try www.birdforum.net.
This site will give good pics', good i.d advice and all you need to know about most makes and models of binoculars and scopes.
Tom.
I would have this would have been useful across the British Isles and it looks pretty good
http://www.woodlandplantkey.com/
accessed 15/06/08
Graham
crazydave
11-09-2008, 04:48
well I did a search and noone has picked up on this, its a strange site in the sense of you register and they eamil you the link for a bunch of pdf downloads. seems kosher though. :)
www.eatweeds.co.uk
Thomas J. Elpel's website (known of the book "Botany in a day"):
http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/
Main website:
http://www.hollowtop.com/
harryhaller
26-02-2009, 19:08
Just in case anyone, like me a short while ago, didn't realise it existed: A Google directory specifically for Flora and Fauna (http://directory.google.com/Top/Science/Biology/Flora_and_Fauna/).
Joezilla
29-07-2009, 22:46
www.bugguide.net
its a US site, but they may have other stuff on there too. A great place to work backwards to ID species.
Fungalpunk
17-09-2010, 10:15
www.fungalpunknature.co.uk - gotta push me own site for sure
Fungalpunk Dave
Günther website (http://www.guenther-blaich.de/pflin.php) has lots of great pictures of plants, very useful for plants recognition.
Cheers,
Paolo
mountainm
01-09-2011, 13:05
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/british-natural-history/urban-tree-survey/identify-trees/tree-key/index.html#tree-s1-2
Natural History museums identification guide to over 80 UK trees
LuckyDucky
10-12-2011, 11:53
Can anyone suggest a pocket size book on trees, identifying them and best types to use for carving.
Also is there any pocket size books on using natural remidies for fak/medical. Like plants/bark/weeds and other flora and fauna?
Thankyou
I came across this excellent site for those interested in getting to know what plants can be eaten and what can be used as medicine
http://www.pfaf.org/user/default.aspx