IUFS Journal of Biology Short Communication 127 IUFS J Biol 2009, 68(2):127-133

Application of a New Illustration Technique in Systematics: Composite Images of Two Autumn Flowering L. () Taxa from Series Biflori in

Osman Erol1*, Orhan Küçüker1, Levent Şık2

İstanbul University Alfred Heilbronn Botanical Garden, 34134 Suleymaniye, Istanbul, Turkey 2Celal Bayar University, Art and Science Faculty, Biology Department, Botany Section, Manisa, Turkey

Abstract

In this study, composite images of two rare and endemic Crocus taxa, C. biflorus Miller subsp. nerimaniae (Yüzb.) Kerndorff & Pasche and C. biflorus Miller subsp. wattiorum B.Mathew were depicted with a new illustration method application in plant systematics.

Key words: Composite images, Crocus, Iridaceae, Virtual Herbarium *Corresponding Author: Osman Erol (E-mail: [email protected]) (Received: 22.01.2009 Accepted: 10.04.2009)

Introduction on where and when it was collected, by whom, Nowadays, accessing information is more its correct botanical name, and often important than producing it. Electronic information on associated and documents supply easy archiving and rapid ecological preferences (Erol et al. 2008b). access to data. An electronic document is Pressed, dried mounted on sheets, in transferred computer information via keyboard, the form of herbarium specimens, have long scanner, camera, music set, e-mail, fax, etc. All formed an important reference tool for sorts of text, voice, and image, graphics can be botanists. For botanical purposes, we suggest an electronic document. Various fields of the the concept of a ‘composite image’ (Simpson natural sciences use computers for electronic 2005) as an additional tool to supplement ISTF documentation (Odabaş 1999). (Istanbul University Science Faculty In systematic botany, scanning plant Herbarium) garden specimens. Such image specimens and database generation is not a new specimens could be especially useful for those idea. Herbarium sheets have been scanning for plants which for some reason do not press well, a long time. At the present day, most modern or where diagnostic color is lost on drying. herbaria have a virtual herbarium. A virtual They could significantly boost information held herbarium is a web-based collection of digital in herbaria. images of preserved plants or plant parts. Each A composite image is; a digitally created virtual specimen is accompanied by information plant portrayal showing the diagnostic and 128 O. Erol et al. / IUFS Journal of Biology 2009, 68(2): 127-133

characteristic features of the taxa, compiled on Photoshop 7.0 (A4 document, resolutions 300 a white background. It should be combined in a pixels/inch). Color bars were arranged botanically reasonable, yet eye-catching, according to Royal Horticulture Color Chart. composition with all parts shown to a proper (Wilson 1938-1942) scale and with all the component parts shown without confusing or obscuring shadows. An Composite imaging steps: important consideration is that the majorities of parts are completely isolated from any (According to Simpson and Barnes, 2008, background, and therefore are separately with some modifications) transferable and scalable. The illustration is 1. Research and plan the illustration, making largely, but not necessarily completely, based appropriate drawings, notes, etc. on digital photography, since digital versions of 2. Place the plant specimen and identify. other illustrative material can readily be included. Additional information, such as any 3. Shoot the plant and all the required textual component of title block, lettering of diagnostic parts, including sections and parts, and other information relating to the taxa, dissections, with considered lighting angles, may be incorporated to suit requirement. The against a black velvet and in such a way as to composite images are independent of language, reduce shadows to a minimum. understood by readers around the world and are 4. Either take careful measurement notes or easily accesible to viewers of a wide range of add in a scale into the photographs as interest (N. Simpson 2008, personal appropriate, and take any color references communication). The purpose of this paper is to needed. introduce a new imagining method "Composite 5. Download the photographs, assess, save Image" for the Turkish botanisty. and file. 6. Study the photographs obtained and make Materials and Methods a final selection of those parts which, in Specimens collection; grouping, show all the features required. C. biflorus subsp. nerimaniae (Yüzb.) 7. Re-take any unfortunate or missing shots. Kerndorff & Pasche, Aydın: Çine: Labranda, 8. Stitch up images together if necessary. 19.10.2006, O. Erol & L. Şık. (Istanbul 9. Where possible use pure photographs in University Alfred Heilbronn Botanical Garden, order to retain the full truth of the botanical accession number SB 16) information. If essential, mend damaged areas, C. biflorus subsp. wattiorum B.Mathew, but manipulate and mend only as necessary, and Antalya: Tahtalı d., 09.11.2006, O. Erol & L. always keep the full original photograph file for Şık. ISTF 39932 reference. Canon S3 digital camera was used for taking 10. Isolate each part from its background to images of the observed taxa. Daylight was used form a new “clipped” image. A variety of tools throughout, with no artificial lighting, in order is now available to do this, such as color to avoid color bias and achieve as close as replacers, edge-finders and background erasers. possible color accuracy without expensive Use whichever tool suits the particular situation apparatus. Images were processed on Adobe

O. Erol et al. / IUFS Journal of Biology 2009, 68(1): 127-133 129

best and save each isolated part as a separate splitting into rings at the base, papery but image from the original. splitting into longitudinally parallel strips, 11. Make a decision on size and resolution wholly parallel fibrous, reticulate fibrous or of output of the final image and create the fibres are distinctly plaited together. Although, overall template for the illustration accordingly. each Crocus taxon has a sole tunic structure, the terms used for the structures of tunics are 12. Put together the selected parts into a deficient (Erol et al. 2008a, Mathew 1982; unified composite illustration on a white Maw 1886). This indicates the need for clear background, saving it at each stage. Size and technical drawings. Erol et al. (2008a) gave orient each part to give the optimum some clear tunic drawings but they lack color. combination and emphasis to the illustration. The composite images of Crocus would be 13. Re-visit the plant at later dates to capture helpful describing , tunics and other details which occur at different times of the diagnostic parts of the . year and add in these later parts into the work. With this new method, we also aim to share 14. Improve the clarity of any parts with the plant specimens of I.U. "Alfred Heilbronn" digital artwork if necessary and digitize any Botanical Garden via Visual Herbarium of ISTF other artwork, diagrams, etc. to be included and (Erol; 2008b). Virtual Herbaria are perfect and add to the image. the easiest way to obtain information about the 15. Add scale bars in a consistent fashion for specimens. You can see the image of the plant, all parts shown and then any textual condition of the specimen, identity number, components, such as title/name, signature, collector, collection date, locality information. copyright, etc. Letter or number the component Also you can request for the loan. Of course, parts. they are informative for botany students. In this way, researchers can access and study plant 16. Add any other information, such as color specimens with original colors and scale bars. key, time-bar, origin details such as accession number, collection number, map location, etc. Simpson (2005) and Simpson and Barnes (2007) showed the use of a “color key” inside 17. Any metadata required needs to be digital composite illustrations, to provide color added in the image file and then lastly, the final references for the diagnostic parts. This can be version needs to be named, dated and saved. helpful for illustrating , where color Most important of all is to create a back-up can be diagnostic and to accompany herbarium copy of the file. specimens where color may be lost on drying. For the color recording in the examples shown, Discussion and Conclusion the color-reference used was the RHS Color In genus Crocus, the colors of the tepals are Chart (Wilson; 1938-1942) which was created important diagnostic characters. (Mathew 1987) as a standard reference for recording color in Usually, portraying the color is quite difficult. cultivated plants. With this method, we can exhibit the original A secondary advantage of digital images colors, the stripes and the blotches on tepals. arises from their use of metadata. This is textual Another advantage of the method is portraying data about the image, and actually stored within the tunics in letter-perfect. Tunics supply the image itself. Metadata may contain useful extremely rich taxonomic characters, and they camera-generated (EXIF) data such as date, may be smooth coriaceous, smooth papery,

129 130 O. Erol et al. / IUFS Journal of Biology 2009, 68(2): 127-133

exposure and lens details, but also many user- Color Bars (Wilson 1938-1942) editable fields, including title, caption, copyright information, the incorporation of GPS data, and many others which are of potential subsp. Crocus biflorus subsp. value to botanists, as well as artists (Simpson wattiorum nerimaniae and Barns; 2008). 548/2 Ethyl Blue 46/2 Cerulein Blue Composite images allow botanists to view 49/1 Porcelain Blue 934 Plum Purple the diagnostic characters of plants throughout 63/3 Uranium Green 48/2 Enamel Blue the year, in full photographic pragmatism, using 821/1 Current Red 10/1 Spanish Orange the power of the magnification tools in image software. They display how digital techniques 09/3 Majolica Yellow 710 Persimmon Orange can be tied together for the conception of 00918 Garnet Brown 1030/1 Maroon reference-standard images for scientific illustration. The importance has not been for perfect photographs, but towards developing a manageable and reasonable technique to portray Acknowledgements plants exactly. Such composite plates could be The authors appreciate Nikki Simpson used for both published and on screen (Surrey; UK) for sharing of her knowledge on identification aids, by depicting the general “Composite Images” and also we are grateful to characteristics of taxa or could form a graphical her artistic advice and kind help in proof record of a particular plant specimen and so images. We are thankful to Gülriz Bayçu for offer a supplement to the herbarium specimen her scientific advice and kind help in proof of that particular plant in the form of a reading the English text. This work was composite image (Simpson and Barnes 2008). supported by Research Fund of the Istanbul University, project no. 548/05052006. Key to Composite Images A. Habit, B. Corm, C. Tunics, D. Cataphylls (first three) and in order bract and bracteole E.

Texture of the bracteole F. In order; front face and back face of outer perianth segments; front face and back face of inner perianth segments G. Stamens H. Stigma

O. Erol et al. / IUFS Journal of Biology 2009, 68(1): 127-133 131

Figure 1. Crocus biflorus subsp. wattiorum

131 132 O. Erol et al. / IUFS Journal of Biology 2009, 68(2): 127-133

Figure 2. Crocus biflorus subsp. nerimaniae

O. Erol et al. / IUFS Journal of Biology 2009, 68(1): 127-133 133

References Erol O., Küçüker O., Üzen, E. (2008a) Corm Odabaş H. (1999) Electronic Documents and tunic morphology of Turkish Archives, Adventures of Information: Its (Iridaceae) and their systematic Past, Present and Future, 50th Anniversary significance, Nordic Journal of Botany, 26: of the Establishment of Turkish Librarians 66-73. Association Proceedings of the Erol O., Şişman B., Şimşek İ., Erol Ç. (2008b) International Symposium. 17-21 November, Towards To Virtual Herbarium: ISTF Ankara. (Istanbul University, Science Faculty Simpson N. (2005) Botanical illustration goes Herbarium), Future-Learning 2nd digital. The Plantsman, 4:208 – 215. International Future-Learning Conference Simpson N. (2007) Digital diversity: a new On Innovations in Learning for the Future approach to botanical illustration. 2008:e-Learning, Istanbul,Turkey. (Exhibition catalogue) N. Simpson, Mathew B. (1982). The Crocus, a revision of Guildford. the genus Crocus. BT Batsford Ltd. Simpson N. and Barnes P. (2008) Photography Maw, G. 1886. A monograph of the genus and Contemporary Botanical Illustration, Crocus. Dulau and Co. Curtis's Botanical Magazine, 25:258 – 280. Wilson R.F. (1938-1942) Royal Horticultural Color Chart I-II, Banbury and London

133