Type specimens in the Netherlands

[Peter van Welzen]

ANNOUNCEMENT

NEW, UNIQUE, and EXCITING

TYPE SPECIMEN DATABASE OF ALL DUTCH HERBARIA

Visit HTTP://RULRHB.LEIDENUNIV.NL (or http://132.229.92.132/) and
choose the 'catalogue of type specimens' under 'New'.

The database, funded by the Netherlands Science Foundation (NWO) and
produced with the package BRAHMS (Denis Filer, Oxford, England), combines
all known type specimens of the four Dutch herbaria: Amsterdam (AMD),
Leiden (L), Utrecht (U), and Wageningen (WAG). Not only the cooperation
among the herbaria is unique, also the fact that digital images are available of
most type specimens. The database presently holds 40,000 records and
30,000 images.

The opening window of the netsite (produced by the Expert Centre for
Taxonomic Identification, ETI, Amsterdam) opens with a menu. The upper choice,
'search the database' provides a form with which very versatile queries can be
made. Not only plant names can be used as key words, also (combinations of)
geography, vernacular names, collectors, etc. Help functions behind each field
either provide information about what has to be filled in or they provide pick-lists
from which a choice can be made. The hits are presented in a spread sheet,
arranged alphabetically on the accepted name; basionyms are shown in the right
hand columns. Double clicking on a name will provide the full label details and
shows a photo of the type specimen(s). Double clicking on the photo will provide
an enlarged image on your screen.

The main menu also provides an option to order a CD-ROM of the complete
database (with only thumb-nail images of the specimens). It is also possible
to order CD-ROM's with a subset of the database and with high resolution photos.

The database still contains errors. If you find them, please inform
us (thijsse at rulrhb.leidenuniv.nl).

In the future data of normal specimens will be added, especially the
data of new acquisitions, historical material, and material used in research.
Also, the herbaria of Leiden, Utrecht, and Wageningen will be united into a
(decentralized) National Herbarium of the Netherlands. Thus, next year changes
are to be expected in the home page of the present database, but we
will keep you informed.

Pieter Baas
(director)