148 AROIDEANA, Vol. 31 A New Website for on www.cate-araceae.org

A. Haigh, L Lay, S. J. Mayo, L Reynolds, and M. Sellaro Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, Surrey 1W9 3AE, U.K. [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; reynoldslm8@ yahoo.com; [email protected] J. Bogner Augsburger Str. 43a D - 86368 Gersthofen, Germany [email protected] P. C. Boyce Lot 12, Hillsdale Jalan Puncak Borneo Kota Padawan Kuching 93250 Sarawak, Malaysia [email protected] Thomas B. Croat, Michael H. Grayum, R. Keating, and C. Kostelac Missouri Botanical Garden P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166 [email protected]; [email protected]; Richard.keating@ mobot.org; [email protected] A. Hay National Herbarium of New South Wales Royal Botanic Gardens Mrs Macquaries Road Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia ajmhay@hotmaiLcom W. Hetterscheid Wageningen University Botanic Garden Generaa1 Foulkesweg 37 6703 BL Wageningen, Netherlands [email protected] M.Mora Department of Biological Sciences Box 870345 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0345, U.S.A. [email protected] Wong Sin Yeng [email protected] A. HAIGH ET Ai., 2008 149

ABSTRACT visions that there is great potential to make traditional taxonomy a much more excit­ The development and current progress ing, collective and dynamic activity than of the Cate-Araceae website is described ever before. But one common discovery and its relation to the aroid community that most E-Taxonomy websites make early discussed in the context of rapidly devel­ on is that without an interested community, oping initiatives to migrate traditional ready to focus on the web-delivered descriptive taxonomy onto the internet (E­ information, it is difficult to create the Taxonomy). desired inter-activity. Scientists who are engaged in this area all agree that the INTRODUCTION hardest job is not the technology, but The website of the International Aroid engaging the human community, Le. mak­ Society and its associated mailing list Aroid­ ing it attractive for taxonomists, natural I is a key achievement of the Society and its historians, plantspeople, ecologists, horti­ supporting community. It is a dynamic and culturists and anybody else who is inter­ attractive social space in which people who ested, to actually engage regularly with the are interested in aroids feel comfortable to website and turn it into a living breathing tell other people about their interests and community space. find out more, especially by just asking for The project described here - Cate­ help. The success of the site is very obvious Araceae - is thus a direct response to the in this respect and it is moreover a lasting existence of the aroid community that finds success. Everyone knows that there is just its expression through the lAS. If it suc­ ceeds, it will be because of the community one place on the internet - http://www. that the lAS has created and sustained. The aroid.orgl - where you can find out all idea for an additional website for aroids about aroids. It is easy to see that it isn't just focussing on formal species taxonomy the site but also the community that it links initially arose from discussions between together which is of great significance in Tom Croat (Missouri Botanical Garden) the context of the revolution that the and Simon Mayo (Royal Botanic Gardens internet is bringing about for biodiversity Kew) in 2003. They were primarily seeking studies, including taxonomy. a mechanism which would bring about a Getting taxonomy onto the internet is a more effective integration of effort between rapidly growing activity which is now aroid taxonomists dispersed around the being taken seriously by major biodiversity world - a means for collaboration, badly institutes around the world. The biggest needed for the big genera which are initiative to appear so far is the global-scale beyond the reach of anyone person to Encyclopedia of Life (EoL) (http://www. revise effectively. They reasoned that eol.orgl) project inspired by Prof. E.O. greater aggregation of the aroid taxonomic Wilson of Harvard University and now an experts was the key to providing high international consortium. All such projects quality information to support global facil­ argue that the prime task for taxonomists ities like Global Biodiversity Information today is to make taxonomy visible on the Facility (http://www.gbif.org/). Interna­ internet and transform classification into a tional Names Index (http://www. "rolling" continual-update facility in which ipnLorgl), and many other such global information for species is available at a information projects, of which EoL is a mouse-click, in the most up-to-date form, more recent example. The first step in to everyone, all the time. Going even making this idea concrete was a project to further are those projects which aim to make an internet-accessible key to the make it possible for anyone to contribute to species of Philodendron, something never biodiversity websites and thus enrich them, previously attempted. Marcela Mora (Bo­ in much the same way as Wikipedia (http:// gota, now at the University of Alabama), www.wikipedia.org/).Itis clear from these led this project from 2005 with funding 150 AROIDEANA, Vol. 31 mainly from the Kew Latin America Re­ Kew and Imperial College London, later search Fellowships Programme (KLARF), replaced by the University of Oxford working both at Kew and Missouri Botan­ (http://www.cate-project.org). CATE has ical Garden before starting on her PhD created websites for two model groups, studies at Tuscaloosa in 2007. The logic of the Sphingidae (hawkmoths, http://www. this key-writing project was not only the cate-sphingidae.org) to represent the need to provide an identification tool of Animal Kingdom and the Araceae for some sort, but also a means to navigate the (http://www.cate-araceae.org).Be­ existing tangled knowledge of a very large sides bringing together comprehensive , to narrow down alternatives and taxonomic information for each family, establish groups of species and a geo­ the project's major goal is to build the graphical scope on which botanists could software framework needed to make it begin new projects of taxonomic revision; possible for the taxonomists to carry out i.e. the key as a research tool as well as a on-going revision of the uploaded infor­ service. mation. So the three ingredients of the The chance to set up a more ambitious project are: 1) create the initial information version of the original idea came with the for each species and mount it on the web; CATE project (Creating a Taxonomic 2) create the software tools to update and e-Science). CATE is a feasibility study for a change the content; 3) attract the taxonom­ particular view of how to deliver revision­ ic community to focus part of their revi­ ary taxonomy through the internet, first Sionary effort onto the website. articulated clearly by Charles Godfray (2002), a British evolutionary population THE ARACEAE WEBSITE biologist and entomologist. There are two key ideas in Godfray's vision. First is the Taxonomists have the most vital role in notion of peer-reviewed consensus taxon­ the CATE vision, particularly in proposing omy - that is, the cooperation of taxono­ changes, such as the addition of new mists to produce, maintain and update, on species or synonyms, which must be a permanent basis, a single agreed version published in hard copy before they can of the taxonomy of family-level taxa like be incorporated, because of the rules of the the Araceae. This is a response to a widely International Code of Botanical Nomencla­ expressed and urgent demand from many ture (McNeill et at., 2006). However, the sectors, including biodiversity and conser­ system will be open to anyone to make vation science, horticulture, forestry and contributions, for example, a distribution agronomy. The second point is continual record, images, previously unrecorded update: the websites need to focus the observations and so on. These can add taxonomic experts permanently on main­ significant taxonomic information to spe­ taining and developing the information cies treatments. content so that users can be sure of access Maintaining the quality of the informa­ to the current best scientific estimate of the tion content is important to the credibility family taxonomy. In order to achieve this, of the site. Contributions and proposals for of course, the taxonomic community has to change can be reviewed online by anyone; organize itself in such a way that this focus however, for more complex, technical or is achieved and maintained, and discover­ extensive material, moderators will be ing how to do this is a major challenge. asked to prepare reviews by the editorial Planning for CATE began in 2004 and group. The taxonomic revision on the funds from the UK's Natural Environment website will also be regularly versioned. Research Council (NERC) were granted in This means a time series in which the June 2005 for a three-year period. The current version replaces previous ones and project began later that year as a consor­ the old versions are dated and archived and tium led by the Natural History Museum remain available for consultation. Newly London, with the Royal Botanic Gardens accepted changes to the revision will thus A. HAIGH ET AL., 2008 151 be incorporated into the next version as pages in the genera Amm, Hapaline, part of an organized work flow. Any Pothos, Pothoidium, Pedicellamm and proposals that are not accepted by the Colocasia. By the end of 2008, there will editorial group will nevertheless be posted be full to reasonably full (depending on on the site, as alternative hypotheses and current knowledge) information for all attributed clearly to their authors. In effect, species pages of Anthurium, Philodendron any kind of contribution can therefore be and all African species (ca. 200 spp.). The viewed as a form of electronic publication. Flora Malesiana organization and the specialists who are co-authors of the FM CURRENT PROGRESS Araceae treatment (much now completed but still unpublished) have generously The Araceae website is built on a allowed CATE to use some of their infor­ framework of nomenclatural data provided mation already, and opened the way for by the World Checklist for Selected Plant further fruitful collaboration; this is very Families, (http://www.kew.org/wcsp/), important as the Flora Malesiana area which is a benchmark list of currently includes a very important part of aroid accepted species and synonyms. During diversity. the first year of the project this data was The Cate-Araceae site team are also transformed into web pages, one for each putting much effort into the preparation accepted genus, species and infraspecific of illustrated interactive identification keys taxon, along with the associated informa­ built in LUCID3 software (http://www. tion on synonymy, literature references and lucidcentral.org/). Web-enabled keys give geographical distribution. Thus we were botanical identification a whole new di­ able to create quite rapidly a complete set mension to explore and the opportunity to of "skeleton" species and genus web pages make identification of species and genera for the family. much more image-based and less depen­ These taxon pages are now being dent on cumbersome terminology. Using populated with additional descriptive data the Genera of Araceae key as a starting edited from the current literature, including point (Mayo, Bogner & Boyce, 1997), a new detailed morphological deSCriptions, imag­ key matrix and rich variety of illustrations es, information on type specimens and (Fig. 2) of characters have been created (by habitat. The format is different from the Anna Haigh), resulting in the first practical, typical printed monograph, however, with user-friendly, comprehensive generic key the information divided into different to Araceae. An illustrated key to the genus screens via tabs; so the main page for a Amm (written by Anna Haigh) based given taxon includes photographs, a short mainly on Boyce (1993) and Boyce paragraph on its distinguishing features (2006), is also online. Major developments and distribution information. By scrolling in the coming months will be keys to the through the tabs, more detailed informa­ two largest genera of Araceae, Anthurium tion is available (Fig. 1). In the future new including 790 species, written by Laura data fields can be added to include new Reynolds, Tom Croat and Anna Haigh, and topics where needed. The data can be Philodendron by Marcela Mora, Tom Croat searched by taxon and by geographical and Simon Mayo, including over 400 region, up to level 3 (corresponding species. Lucinda Lay and Anna Haigh are approximately to country or state) of the currently preparing a key to all the aroid World Geographical Scheme for Recording taxa from Africa which is planned for Plant Distributions (http://www.tdwg.org/ release by September 2008. Geographical standards/109/). data is included in the keys, allowing users Currently, full descriptive information to narrow down their search quickly to a can be found for all genus pages (including short list of species using just a small the Duckweed genera of Lemnaceae, now number of illustrated characters. Further incorporated into Araceae), and for species refinements to the identification may be 152 AROIDEANA, Vol. 31

Creating a Taxonomic e-Science

Advanced Search Help

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Distinguishing Features Seasonally dormant tuberous geophytes; leaf blade with reticulate fine venation; flowers unisexua l, perigone absent; female Howers surrounded by a whorl of free stamin odes ; orth otropous , Differs from Synandrospadix in staminodes in female flowers filiform to subclavate, male flowers wi th stamens free or connate to different degrees into a synandrium (always entirely connate in Synandrospadix) and leaf blades pinnatifid, pi nnatisect or bipinnatifid Sased on : Mayo, S.J. . So gner. J. & Boyce, P.C. (1997)

conlenl @CATEAlaeeae . admln@Cale·araceae.org Imperial College • CATE \l9rslon 0.4 london .

Fig. 1. An example of a taxon page on www.cate-araceae.org. made using more specia li st characters or enrich, refin e and improve the taxonomic simply by comparing with the data on th e descriptio ns, knowledge of geographical webpages. ranges, diagnostic character va ri ation, etc. New taxa will be described and old o nes THE ARACEAE NETWORK synonymi zed; phylogenetic studies will SITE (HTTP://SCRATCHPAD. result in changes to the classificatio n at CATE-ARACEAE.ORG/) va ri ous levels. These changes and devel­ opments require a system of review and The current phase of populating species evalu ation by th e aroicl taxonomic com­ and generic web pages and preparing keys munity and the website a ll ows anyone with ca n be viewed as essenti alJ y a first stage: a stake in aroid taxono my to make their the creation of a point of departure fo r views known. more refined and reliable taxonomic treat­ The long-term goals of Cate-Araceae thus ments in the future. The second stage is the require that some kind of o rganizational gradual engagement of taxono mists and process be undertaken within the commu­ others w ho are able to contribute, to nity by means of which taxono mists can A. HAlG H ET AL. , 2008 153

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Fig. 2. A screenshot of the interacti ve key to the Genera of the Araceae. participate and influence outcomes in a just project. The objectives are to foster a and transparent manne r. This process has suppo rtive environment on the internet onl y ju st begun. At the o utset o f the project, through which the taxono mic community a group of aroid botanists lent the ir support in particular can debate and reach agree­ by agreeing to become members of the ment on topics which are important fo r Araceae Expert AdvisolY Team: Alistai r Hay developing the consensus taxonomy of (Australia), Dan Nicolson (USA), David aroids. These include technical subjects like Scherberich (France), De nis Ba rabe character state terminology but also orga­ (Ca nada), Eduardo Gon<;;:a lves (B razil), Jin ni za ti onal ones such as how the edito ri al Murata (Japan), Josef Bogner (Germany), and review roles needed fo r the CATE M. Sivadasan (India), Marc Gibernau website can be legitimately and fairl y (France), Peter Boyce (Sa ra wak, Ma laysia), assigned so as to promote a progressive Si mon Mayo (UK) , Tom Croat (USA) and and inclusive climate fo r taking the web Wilbert Hettersche id (Nethe rl ands). In ad­ revisions fOlward into the future. In addi­ dition, the authors of this paper include tio n, users can create a profile for them­ other botanists who are contributing infor­ selves, showing for example their areas of mati o n or w ho have parti cipated already in interest and listing their publicati o ns. planning discussio ns fo r Cate-Araceae. The aim of the Cate-Araceae project is to Other colleagues in USA and Brazil , includ­ complement the fine work that the Inter­ ing Monica Carlsen, Marcus Nadru z, Cassia national Aroid Society has been do ing now Sa kuragui, Ivanil za Andrade and Maria de for over 28 yr in improving knowledge of Lourdes Soares, have given the ir support to the faSCinating family o f aroids. As we the project. envisage it, the Ca te site w ill be able to Recently a forum site has been estab­ contribute primarily two major resources. li shed (Araceae Network, http://scratchpad. First, it w ill function as a mechanism to cate-araceae.orgl) to foster the further produce a "rolling" consensual taxonomy involvement of aroid taxonomists and any whi ch can form the foundatio n for other othe r interested people in the Cate-Araceae information on aroids. It is inte nded that 154 AROIDEANA, Vol. 31 this will be an inclusive process of fruitful liTERATURE CITED collaboration across the world. We do not Boyce, P. C. 1993. The genus Arum, 196 p. imagine that all disputes over taxonomic Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, HMSO, issues will disappear, nor would we wish it London. so. But Cate-Araceae can serve as a current ---. 2006. Arum - a decade of change. benchmark, a background for scientific Aroideana 29:132-137. debate, and a useful practical tool for Godfray, H. C. J. 2002. Challenges for people who want names backed by taxo­ taxonomy. Nature 417:17-19. nomic opinion. Second, Cate-Araceae can --, B. R. Clark, 1. J. Kitching, S. J. Mayo be a tool for self-help and for learning. The & M. J. ScobIe. 2007. The web and the internet is the way forward for spreading structure of taxonomy. Syst. BioI. taxonomic knowledge and empowering 56(6):943-955. people who have a hunger to be an expert Mayo, S. ]., J. Bogner & P. C. Boyce. 1997. on their favourite plants. The genera of Araceae. Royal Botanic The current funding for Cate-Araceae Gardens, Kew. runs until the end of 2008 but we anticipate McNeill, J., F. R. Barrie, H. M. Burdet, V. that it will continue to be maintained and Demoulin, D. L. Hawksworth, K. augmented using the current structure, but Marhold, D. H. Nicolson, J. Prado, P. without the full-time team currently avail­ C. Silva, J. E. Skog, J. H. Wiersema & able. The growth ofE-Taxonomy initiatives N. J. Turland. 2006. International at major institutions suggests that the site Code of Botanical Nomenclature has a secure future as part of a wider (Vienna Code). A. R. G. Gantner taxonomic resource. It will be important to Verlag, Ruggell, Liechtenstein. organize meetings of aroid taxonomists to ScobIe, M. J., B. R. Clark, H. C. J. Godfray, discuss the site's editorial organization 1. J. Kitching & S. J. Mayo. 2007. further, and we anticipate that this process Revisionary taxonomy in a changing will begin at the Araceae Symposium in e-Iandscape. Tijdschrift Entomol. 150: Copenhagen in August 2008. 305-317.