XVI International Botanical Congess

A database documenting Amazonian plant biodiversity is being developed by assembling botanical collection data from regional Herbaria. Two of the most important Herbaria in the Region are MG and IAN togther holding some 320.000 samples collected from Amazonia. The database is being build using BRAHMS (Botanical Research And Herbarium Management System). Each data entry workstation is using a standard data entry format with access to shared collector, taxonomic and geographic dictionaries. After entry to simple spreadsheet-like files, the data are validated and imported to the core BRAHMS database. Here, the data can be processed to prepare curatorial, monographic and floristic outputs including loan forms, taxonomic treatments and distribution maps respectively. The database, currently holding c.60.000 collections. (SUDAM, DFID).