Publications, Apps, and Websites | NYFA

iNaturalist App and Plant Identification

Steve Young — Mon, 04 May 2020 00:44:09 +0000

If you have not use the iNaturalist app to enter plant photographs and location information you haven’t had the opportunity to use the automatic identification feature. For those of us who have, we are increasingly amazed at how good it is at identifying the plant to species, especially those that are not grasses, sedges, or rushes. This feature works with computer machine learning that compares your photo to the millions of others in the database that have been confirmed by others to pick the closest match. It is not uncommon now to be on plant walks where people are using the app to identify plants instead of using plant ID books or to supplement them. The same thing is happening with other groups of organisms like birds that can be identified on a phone app by their song or call or by app keys like Merlin. It will be interesting to see how automatic ID progresses and how it will change what we use to identify plants. If you register for iNaturalist and enter an observation you can click on the species field and the program will give you a choice of species to select and the first species selected is often correct (see photo). If it is not correct then other people who use the site and know the correct identification can enter that. Then the computer can add that correct identification done by a human into its memory to refer to next time. The only challenge this auto ID has is that it can’t tell you why that is the species it chose, what the identifying characters are so you can learn them for next time. Maybe that feature will be included in the future. Check it out and let us know what you think.

First Test of Leafsnap Tree Identification App

admin — Sun, 15 May 2011 19:40:38 +0000

In a recent post the new tree identification Apple app Leafsnap was featured. I collected 5 tree leaves today to see how well it worked. Here are the results: 1. American elm – It had it listed as its 4th guess. 2. Witch hazel – It was not in the database. I guess it considers it a shrub. 3. Gray birch – Right on its first guess. 4. Cottonwood – Right on its first guess. 5. White ash – It was listed as its 10th guess. There are quite a few exotic trees in the database which are very similar to our native leaves, especially the compound leaves. It certainly was not perfect but we will test more leaves soon to see if it does better. – Steve Young

The Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College

admin — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:08:49 +0000

Here is a great resource for native plants in the Lower Hudson Valley and 91��Ƭ�� City areas. To see their web site .

The Mysterious Plantmaps.com

admin — Fri, 06 May 2011 17:16:30 +0000

This is a website which displays maps for hardiness zones and range maps for selected plants. Unfortunately they don’t have any information about who they are and what information they use to produce their maps. If anyone can find more information about this website please post a comment. – Steve Young

to see the website.

Northeast Conservation Status Report April 2011

admin — Tue, 03 May 2011 19:50:29 +0000

From their website: The Nature Conservancy’s Eastern Conservation Science office, with funding from the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, is pleased to release a benchmark report summarizing the results of a comprehensive three-year assessment of animal species and natural habitats across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region.

In an effort to evaluate the gains of a century of conservation and take the pulse of the natural world, scientists synthesized information from over 30 sources, including State Natural Heritage Programs, US Forest Inventory and Analysis, the Breeding Bird Survey, State Wildlife Action Plans and the Conservancy’s Regional Science Center.

Based on the recommendations of the Northeast Performance and Indicator Framework, this technical report evaluates key indicators for six natural habitats: forest, wetlands, rivers and stream, unique habitats, lakes and ponds and animal species of concern. For the report .

When will there be a Northeast Association of Botanical Agencies to fund the same studies on plant species of concern?

Photo Show: Every Tree Tells a Story

admin — Tue, 03 May 2011 00:19:27 +0000

The Cultural Landscape Foundation presents: Every Tree Tells a Story featuring extraordinary trees and tree groupings at twelve sites around the country and Puerto Rico. The show includes a history of the elms of East Hampton, 91��Ƭ��. For the website .

Everything You Wanted to Know 91��Ƭ�� Duckweeds

admin — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:03:15 +0000

Wayne Armstrong from Palomar College has assembled a very information-rich website on the taxonomy of the Lemnaceae. There are lots of photos and keys to use to key out this sometimes difficult group. To access the website.

Here is an example of a photo page for Lemna minor

21 New Rare Plant Guides for Long Island Posted

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:36:14 +0000

The 91��Ƭ�� Natural Program recently posted 21 new rare plant guides on their guides website. Most of these are rare plants that might occur along roadsides on the island. The list is below. If you would like to access the site . In the next year many more plants will be posted as they are completed.

Cenchrus tribuloides Dune Sandspur

Crocanthemum dumosum Bushy Rockrose

Desmodium ciliare Little-leaf Tick-trefoil

Digitaria filiformis Slender Crabgrass

Diospyros virginiana Persimmon

Eupatorium album var. subvenosum Trinerved White Boneset

Euphorbia ipecacuanhae American Ipecac

Ipomoea pandurata Wild Potato-vine

Linum intercursum Sandplain Wild Flax

Linum sulcatum Yellow Wild Flax

Oenothera oakesiana Oake’s Evening Primrose

Paspalum laeve Field Beadgrass

Plantago maritima var. juncoides Seaside Plantain

Platanthera ciliaris Orange Fringed Orchid

Platanthera cristata Crested Fringed Orchid

Quercus phellos Willow Oak

Scleria minor Slender Nutrush

Symphyotrichum concolor var. concolor Silvery Aster

Tripsacum dactyloides Northern Gamma Grass

Viburnum dentatum var. venosum Southern Arrowwood

Viola brittoniana Coast Violet

NY Times: Plants We Have Lost From 91��Ƭ�� City

admin — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 19:02:46 +0000

to read and article and view drawings by Marielle Anzelone and Wendy Hollender about the plants that once grew in 91��Ƭ�� City but are now gone.

One of the plants that has not been seen in years is white trillium, Trillium grandiflorum. Photo Steve Young.

Orchid Information is Endless

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:51:29 +0000

Orchids are one of the most popular plant groups in the world and 91��Ƭ�� is no exception. There are many websites, blogs and Facebook pages on the subject. For 91��Ƭ�� you can start with an article by Chuck Sheviak and myself on the orchids that appeared last June in the .

On Facebook there is the which has a lot of information and links.

Below are some other interesting websites:

That’s enough for now. Explore the web for many more. Fun fact: 91��Ƭ�� has more orchid species than Hawaii. – Steve Young

Orange Fringed Orchid about to bloom on Long Island. Photo Steve Young.