The last 12 months has seen the complete revision of the underlying taxonomic database to include over 1800 alien species for which we now have data from the English Nature audit of alien species (M.O.Hill et al). Most of the taxonomic revisions from the last 3 years have now been incorporated into the database. Do report any errors or discrepancies to Henry Ford from the contacts. The NVC habitat codes for the flora have been updated, with subcommunity, constancy and abundance data. These data are now available for 1,066 plants. Photographs for some 100 plants have been added and we hope to have a further 500 plants photographed by the end of the year.
The next 12 months should see the continuation of updates, the addition of photographs, the addition of new ecologcal characteristic data to for some of the additional alien species and the updating of the taxonomic database to reflect the latest taxonomic revisions.
Missing Data : We now have a missing data facility, so everyone can now look and see what measurements we need to comlete the database, so for those of us still working on plants, please check the missing data facility for the plants you are working on and take a few extra measurements for the database.
Usage: During the 12 months to Jan 2012 we have had just under 17,000 separate users of the website. So thanks to our hosts 34sp.com for providing such a seamless service. And on January 1 we had 28 separate users. None of them were me.
Associated Fungi, and Phytophagous Insects: Authorities have been added, together with synonymy and name status, from data generously supplied by the Natural History Museum. Errors remain ours however and some typographic errors remain and it is hoped that these will be cleared up in the coming months.
Updates of Ecological characteristics : 5 plants have had their ecological characteristics updated. Now that the plant descriptions for British native plants and the 200 most common aliens have been competed this work will continue.
Kew Germination Data: Seed germination data has been received from the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, and now appears on the results page of an ecological characteristics search for a species, as it is not directly comparable to the characteristics table.
Links: Several new links have been added to our list or sites relevant to the UK flora.
Funding : The British Ecological Society have generously funded the Ecological Flora again for the coming year enabling us to undertake the major revisions that have been made. Further funding always needs to be sourced. Contact Prof Alastair Fitter, or Henry Ford from the contacts page.
Requests : We are always looking for more data. If you have any, we would be very grateful if you could contribute. Useful photographs and drawings
will be much appreciated.
Henry Ford, Jan 2012.
