ITIS

[Vic]

Just came across this website http://www.itis.gov/index.html, you can enter a genus name in the search box to get a list of species and then at the bottom of the page if you click on 'Search off-site resources' there's links to further sites/info, the NBII site is very good with photos etc.

[Bill]

Interesting, but unless I am using it wrong, not very complete, only one Astrophytum, no Haworthia/Gasteria

[Phil_SK]

I'm not that impressed by the site as it stands. It does not recognise Echinopsis, Eriosyce or Copiapoa. For genera that it does (I searched for Mammillaria) the list is far from complete (it has no accepted Mammilaria species beginning with 'a'). It treats as 'accepted' taxa at a variety level rather than subspecies which seems to be preferred currently. I investigated Mammillaria wrightii further; the NBII link was to a defunct version of the site and I had to search the redirected site myself and it turned up no pictures.

It's a nice idea and could be useful when many more data have been added.


Not quite the same but a similar site for checking names (published names; it makes no judgements about whether it's the currently preferred name, merely whether it has been published properly) is the International Plant Names Index which is backed up by records from Kew, and herbaria in USA (Harvard) and Australia. I find this a very useful site on occasions and is well worth being aware of.

[Vic]

I was particularly researching Escobarias and found a lot of info plus pics, perhaps not so good then for other genera.