pcplantdb

[Richard Morris <webmaster@pfaf.org>]

Folks,
        I'll have a bash at a DTD for plants. Acutally rather than a DTD
isa a sample XML file which should validate. Hopefully a bit easier to 
understand.

<plant> // This could be too specific, do we need
        // to represent other things which are not just plants

 <nomeculture> // I.E. things about a plant name

        <AcceptedBotanicalName> // I.E. The name we use in the DB
           <BotanicalName>      // A general element covering accepted        
    
                                // names and synonyms
                <genus>Salix</genus>
                <species>negra</species>
                <author>L.</author>

                // several other elements eg.
                <cultivar>Cardinal</cultivar>
                <subspecies>...<subspecies>
                
                // need a way to represent Elaeagnus X ebbingei
                // colud follow UDSA fields here
                <references>
                        // references to specific nameing issues
                        // for exanple datasets which use this name
                        // more details on references later
                </references>
          </BotanicalName>
        <AcceptedBotanicalName>
        
        // might want a <Synonyms> tag as a collection of <Synonym>         
        // elements
        <Synonym>
           <BotanicalName>      // A general element covering accepted        
    
                                // names and synonyms
                <genus>Salix</genus>
                <species>falcata</species>
                <author>Pursh.</author>
          </BotanicalName>
        </Synonym>
        <Synonym>
                <genus>Salix</genus>
                <species>nigra</species>
                <variety>brevijulis</variety>
        </Synonym>

        <CommonName lang="EN">Black Willow</CommonName>
                // Specify              
                // language as an atribute
                // may also want to include where the
                // name is used. US and UK often have different names
                // for same plant

 </nomeculture>

// classification issues
 <Systematics>
        <Rank>Species</Rank> // What level in family tree this is
        <ParentName rank="family">Salicaceae
                <ClasificationScheme>Conquist</ClasificationScheme>
        </ParentName>
        // by using a ParentName rather than a family tag
        // it might make it easer to represent objects which are
        // higher up the tree.

        // For a cultivar we might have
        <Rank>Cultivar</Rank>
        <ParentName rank="Species">Salix negra</ParentName>
</Systematics>

<warnings>
        <HealthWarning>Eating this tree whole is for your 
health</HelthWarning>
        <Invasive>Listed as noxious/invasive for:

                // How we represent places in world is a big
                // issue, we touched on it back in the archive
                <location>
                        <country>Australia</country>
                        <State>New South Wales</State>
                </location>
		<reference><xlink href="http://www.weeds.org.au/noxious.htm";>Weeds 
Australia</xlink></reference>
        </invasive>
</warnings>

<Physical>
        <Habit>Tree</Habit>
        <height unit="m">12</heigth> // need to specify units
        ....
</Physical>

<GrowingConditions>
        <SoilType>...<SoilType>
        ....
<GrowingConditions>

<EdibleUses>
        // An example of a free text entry (CDATA) with some inline tags.
	<Keyword>Inner bark</Keyword> - raw or cooked. It can be dried, ground 
into a powder and then added to cereal flour for use in making bread 
etc. A very bitter flavour, it is a famine food that is only used when 
all else fails <reference><book>...</book></reference>
Young shoots - raw or cooked. They are not very 
palatable<reference><book>...</book></reference>].			
</EdibleUses>

</plant>

Thats probably enough for now. Plenty to talk about!

ttfn

Rich