Plant Records at Missouri Botanical Garden are maintained in a custom-designed Microsoft Access database. The Plant Records Database is a relational database, meaning that the data is stored in several inter-related tables. This provides for an efficient and consistent way of keeping track of plant information.

Some of the highlights of the database include custom-designed data entry forms, specialized reports for commonly requested information, linkages to our GIS database in ArcView, automatic data exports to our web server, integration with the Plant Finder cultural information, and the ability to print identification tags and display labels directly from the database to our embosser and engraver.

Each plant in the living collection is labeled with an identification tag that is embossed with its accession number, botanical name, and collector name and number, if applicable. In addition to the embossed tags, many of the plants in the Garden have plant identification labels that provide common and scientific names, native ranges, and the botanical plant family to which the genus belongs. There are also many interpretive signs throughout the Garden to further educate visitors.

To ensure the proper identification of plants in the living collection, voucher herbarium specimens are prepared. The identity of each voucher is carefully researched, and when validated, the voucher number and validator's name are entered into the database.

The Plant Records Department also maps the plants in the living collection. This is accomplished through GIS, or Geographic Information Systems, technology. You can read more about this project on our mapping web page.

For additional information, contact Rebecca Sucher, Coordinator of Plant Records/Applications, at 314.577.9407 or e-mail at rebecca.sucher@mobot.org.

This information was updated March 2005.