Dear Sir, Thank you very much for this great endeavour using latest techniques which will certainly be helpful for the purpose of documentation and identification. However, I do not agree with the following comments: "Unlike many other virtual herbaria, which use pictures of their existing collections, samples of which can be decades old, often discoloured and degraded....."
Yes, samples may not only be decades old, but may also be centuries old and the major herbaria of the World are conserving these specimens with meticulous care as they form the base of angiosperm taxonomy. A herbarium specimens is bound to be degraded and discoloured with age and that is why a professional collector notes down various field data including habit and habitat and features such as colour of various parts in fresh condition which are likely to be lost on return from field. The same is then noted down on the herbarium label. With limited available techniques, the taxonomists of the past did wonders. There is nothing wrong in digitizing these precious collections and presenting virtual herbaria. Nothing more for the present. Wish you all success. On Thu, Oct 29, 2015 at 4:47 PM, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks, Nicolas ji. > Certainly a appreciable beginning. > Hope you go along way to enchant us. > > On 29 October 2015 at 15:23, Nicolas Lagarrigue <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Dear members of eflora of India group, >> >> >> We would like to share with you our new virtual herbarium, an online >> catalogue of plants from our region, including local, vulnerable and >> sometimes endangered species from the native evergreen forests of the >> Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu, as well as other widespread species of the >> Indian subcontinent. >> >> >> Unlike many other virtual herbaria, which use pictures of their existing >> collections, samples of which can be decades old, often discoloured and >> degraded, Pitchandikulam Forest Virtual Herbarium uses fresh specimens, >> briefly flattened and then scanned immediately in high definition, in order >> to conserve their natural colours and texture. This creates exquisite, >> vivid images which allow us to fully appreciate the intricate beauty of >> plants and to discover them more intimately. >> >> >> For each species, detailed botanical information is provided, including >> nomenclature, description, phenology, reproduction and dispersal, as well >> details of plant ecology, distribution, conservation status and propagation >> and planting advice. >> >> In addition to the detailed scientific data, it offers additional >> ethnobotanical information (human uses of plants for food, crafts, >> medicines or rituals…). >> >> >> Pitchandikulam Forest Virtual Herbarium is a work in progress. So far 50 >> plant species are available to view and learn about, with new species added >> continuously. >> >> If you are interested, we encourage you to join our mailing list to get >> the latest updates. >> >> >> Pitchandikulam Forest Virtual Herbarium can be found here: >> >> www.pitchandikulam-herbarium.org >> >> >> Enjoy your visit and share it with all the plant lovers you know… >> >> Thank you. >> >> Irène and Nico >> >> >> <http://www.pitchandikulam-herbarium.org/img/mail_signature.jpg> >> >> >> <http://www.pitchandikulam-herbarium.org/img/pitchandikulam_herbarium.jpg> >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "efloraofindia" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > > > -- > With regards, > J.M.Garg > > 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1> > The whole world uses my Image Resource > <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg> of more than a > thousand species & eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. > (arranged alphabetically & place-wise). You can also use them for free as > per Creative Commons license attached with each image. > > For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, > please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group > <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/indiantreepix> (largest in the > world- more than 2500 members & 2,25,000 messages on 18.6.15) or Efloraofindia > website <https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/> (with a species > database of more than 11,000 species & 2,00,000 images). Winner of > Wipro-NFS Sparrow Awards 2014 for efloraofindia > <https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/award-for-efloraofindia>. > > Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of > India'. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "efloraofindia" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. 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