XVI International Botanical Congess
We have implemented the computer program FileMaker Pro 4.0v1 (Claris Corp.) to create a centralized Fern DNA Database" that is maintained online at the Field Museum. The database coordinates voucher and source information, as well as DNA-availability and DNA-sequence data for more than 700 pteridophyte specimens. The database is password-accessible to distant collaborators, which permits rigorous organization of large-scale and collaborative phylogenetic studies. Corrections and additions to the database can be suggested via online forms that are forwarded to the database manager for approval and implementation. The database is a convenient way of storing large numbers of DNA sequences that can be exported as Nexus files for phylogenetic analysis.