Hi, I recently built a tool which I hope might be of interest to users on this forum. It's a plant identification service called "What The Flora?" To have a plant identified just tweet a photo with the hashtag #whattheflora Your photo will appear on the site, and other users will be able to suggest and vote on names for the plant. If hope it is of interest if you have any questions or comments about the service please let me know. thanks, rob
This pic is Red Horse-chestnut Aesculus × carnea (not Davidia as suggested); can't work out how to post the identity.
wow, thanks for that, I've updated the post. If you want to leave a comment in the future you just need click on the "Connect with Twitter" to login. If there is anything else that isn't clear just let me know, any feedback is appreciated. thanks, rob
That was great - thanks for the link back to here! Michael, thanks for the correction - I've voted for your answer, so it's 0 to 2.
Thanks! I'm not on twitter so that won't work ;-) On this one you're right with Passiflora. This one is a Gymnocalycium cultivar with no chlorophyll, grafted on a normal cactus stem, maybe an Epiphyllum; the green stem provides the photosynthesis to keep the graft alive.
thanks again. that's an interesting story about the Gymnocalycium. How do they grow it big enough to graft it if it doesn't photosynthesise for itself?
Welcome to UBC, whattheflora. Ahh! Maybe you see the advantage of having really wonderful sites such as this! Where you can ask really knowledgeable people from all over the world further questions. Are you the "shuggiefisher " that I found on another id forum in Britain?
To give you some background, I created what the flora after getting requests for a plant identification tool from the user's of The Forager's Friend. At the time I couldn't find a tool you could use directly from your smart phone, so I built whattheflora. The aim wasn't to compete with existing sites such as this one, but rather to create an alternative service. You're right that at the moment the site doesn't have the same level of expertise as forums such as this one. However, if people find it useful and contribute, over time they will develop a reputation based on their name suggestions that have been voted up by other users. Sorry if I've caused offence by trying to promote this project I've been working on.
It doesn't bother me as the admin -- we're not a for-profit service. We even list other "competitors" in the sidebar because we're more concerned with making sure people get to an answer.
http://whattheflora.com/post/y9cgp - Washingtonia robusta. http://whattheflora.com/post/wezdg - not Cirsium arvense, that doesn't have those spined bracts on the flowerhead. Can you get the photo location? That would help with identification. You're welcome! Did you get the private message?
Not a good idea. There is no democracy in science and the truth is not decided by voting. (Tennessee voters, however, can decide whether to learn the truth or not).
