L. Watson (lesw@albanyis.com.au) [taxonomy]
M. J. Dallwitz (md@ento.csiro.au) [computing]
This package is generated from a DELTA database (Dallwitz 1980; Dallwitz, Paine, and Zurcher 1993). It comprises an interactive identification and information retrieval system using the program Intkey (running under MS-Windows), descriptions, illustrations, references, and other subsidiary material.
The database contains detailed morphological, anatomical and physiological descriptions of over 800 grass genera (Watson and Dallwitz 1981; Watson, Dallwitz, and Johnston 1986; Watson 1987). The descriptive terminology employed here is mostly in line with normal agrostological usage, as set out in modern textbooks, monographs and regional floras (e.g. Hubbard 1968, Hitchcock and Chase 1950, Gould 1968, Jacques-Félix 1962, Bor 1960, Clayton and Renvoize 1986, Chapman and Peat 1992, etc.; and for anatomy, Metcalfe 1960, Clifford and Watson 1976, Ellis 1976 and 1979, and Watson and Dallwitz 1988). Detailed, written Character Notes have yet to be entered for many of the characters, but the copious character illustrations now provided should facilitate differentiating between character states.
It is easy, using Intkey, to obtain lists of genera exhibiting or lacking particular features or combinations of features; to cross reference attributes with geographical distributions and taxonomic groupings; to compare the existing tribes and subfamilies with one another, and with proposed alternative groupings, in terms of the available descriptive data (with statistical details of character state distibutions); to obtain lists of genera for which information on particular features is lacking; to locate generic synonyms; and to obtain printouts of all such information. For information on the more sophisticated uses of this package, see ‘Hints on using Intkey’. The notes provided there, and published examples (Watson et al. 1989, Bruhl et al. 1992) exemplify the kinds of questions you can pursue using Intkey, and illustrate applications of the most commonly used directives.
The present package is illustrated by about 350 line drawings, mainly consisting of illustrations from Gardner’s (1952) account of Western Australian grasses, and from ‘Grasses of Southern Africa’ (Gibbs Russell et al 1990); plus about 550 scans of original coloured and black-and-white photos illustrating spikelet details and leaf anatomy, plus electron micrographs, prepared over many years in the Taxonomy Laboratory at the A.N.U. The same suite of images is currently employed to illustrate both taxa and characters, with critical features ‘hotspotted’ in the interactive identificatory context (locate hotspots by trailing your mouse cursor over the images). Many character states are exemplified by several images, in an attempt to indicate the ranges of variation they encompass; and some genera are represented by several taxon images.
Contributions of descriptive data and illustrations suitable for improving and extending the database would be welcomed, and appropriately acknowledged in the displays and in the accompanying literature.
Cite this publication as: Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M. J. (1992 onwards). ‘Grass Genera of the World: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval; including Synonyms, Morphology, Anatomy, Physiology, Phytochemistry, Cytology, Classification, Pathogens, World and Local Distribution, and References.’ Version: 18th August 1999. URL http://biodiversity.uno.edu/delta/. Dallwitz (1980), Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993), Watson and Dallwitz (1994), and Watson, Dallwitz, and Johnston (1986) should also be cited (see References).