Rainforest Plants of Australia – Mobile App

Description

Authors: Gwen Harden, Hugh Nicholson, Bill McDonald, Nan Nicholson, Terry Tame and John Williams

This app is based on the USB, Rainforest Plants of Australia, and the earlier Red and Green Books. It includes all the 1 140 species, fact sheets and general introductory sections that are in the USB. However, due to possible download problems only about 8 000 images have been included (over 12 000 in the USB).

It will empower everyone who is interested in conserving rainforests and learning more about rainforests and rainforest species, from professionals to those who are not familiar with the use of keys or botanical terminology.

• Features used for identification in the key include leaf, flower, fruit, seed and bark features as well as geographic distribution, rainforest type and plant family
• Covers mainland eastern Australia, south of Rockhampton through N.S.W. to Victoria
• Coastal rainforest types to drier inland vine thickets
• Keys out and describes 1140 species of trees, shrubs, mistletoes and climbing plants
• Includes 104 species naturalized in rainforest, of which 33 are listed as ‘declared noxious weeds’
• This interactive, illustrated key is powered by Lucid

The app will enable you to have this powerful identification key and information system in your pocket (or bag) at all times and in all places. It makes identifications so much easier and in the field immediate identifications are possible (no need to make all those extra notes in case you missed an essential feature that was later found to be needed to complete the identification). Before long you will wonder how you ever lived without it!

The Opening screen, an illustrated key page and species list

Each species has a fact sheet that describes the diagnostic features of the leaves, flowers and fruit, its geographic distribution and whether the species is native or introduced and whether it is listed as rare or threatened in any of the states. Each fact sheet includes line drawings and images of general and detailed features used in the identification process.

Fact sheet, enlarged image and part of zoomed image

A detailed Tutorial explains how the app works, and outlines many of the functions available. General sections include how to use the key, hints on identifying rainforest plants, index of scientific and common names (listed separately), detailed glossary, and information on rainforest and rainforest types.

A Tutorial screen, sections on rainforest and rainforest types

The advantages of having this app on your device:

• Once installed an internet connection is not required
• With you always on your smart phone or tablet, so great for fieldwork
• Can be downloaded to more than one device with the same email address at no additional cost
• Downloads of updates will be automatic to your device
• Readily transferred to your new phone or tablet when you upgrade your device
• Images and parts of images can be enlarged by pinch-spreading
• The indexes and search facility enable you to search on part or full names
• The interactive ‘Tutorial’ takes you through the main features of the app
• ‘History’ function enables you to save and reload identification sessions
• Try it, soon you won’t be able to live without it!

Photos: © Hugh Nicholson
Front cover photo: Callicarpa pedunculata