The Araliales Resource Centre

[MARK at]

Dear Taxacomers,
Announcing......

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       ARALIALES RESOURCE CENTRE
     http://www.rbge.org.uk/data/URC/arc.htm

A new special interest website for scientific researchers, and the
general public, with a novel multi-disciplinary approach.

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The Araliales Resource Centre enables access to a wide
variety of information relating to the plant families Apiaceae
(Umbelliferae) and Araliaceae. This first stage contains
data on 100 researchers worldwide, on-going projects,
publications and much more additional relevant information.

The seach facility can be used to find contact details of
people you already know are working in the field, or generate
lists of who is working on what genera, in what countries, or even
using certain techniques (with full contact details generated
on the fly). The database generating the answers covers many subject
areas including: floristics, monographic revisions, informatics,
phytochemistry, molecular phylogenetics, crop genetic resources,
ecology, plant-animal interactions, and many more. Researchers
interested in the plant families but not included are requested
to add their personal details. It is hoped that this system will
promote internationational collaboration. Students in particular are
urged to contribute as it is often some years before knowledge of
their work reaches the general scientific domain. A touch sensitive
map illustrates the worldwide spread of researchers, and provides a
quick way of finding people if you know where they are based.

At present there are data on some of the major on-going
floristic projects in Apiaceae, major databases and monographic
research. As researchers submit information to these pages then they
will be of increasing value to the scientific community. Sections
handling 'Molecular Research', 'Recent Publications' and 'News and
Views' are currently being developed. Links are provided to other
sites with umbellifer interest (images, uses, descriptions, datasets,
etc.).

The main part of the website has been developed by the Royal Botanic
Garden Edinburgh, in collaboration with: University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign (Apiaceae: Molecular Research); University of
Reading (Apiaceae: Publications and News); Virginia Commonweath
University (whole of the Araliaceae side); and Horticultural
Research International (Apiaceae: Crop Genetic Resources).

I would welcome any feedback on this website, particularly any
suggestions on enhancing the coverage.

Regards,
Mark Watson
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Dr Mark F.Watson
Umbelliferae/Apiaceae and Flora of China

Royal Botanic Garden
Edinburgh, EH3 5LR
SCOTLAND, U.K.

Telephone: 0131 248 2828
Facsimile: 0131 248 2901

Electronic Mail: m.watson at rbge.org.uk
Institute Homepage: www.rbge.org.uk
Araliales Homepage: www.rbge.org.uk/data/URC/arc.htm
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