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PRÉCIS, THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM OF SOUTH AFRICA (PRE) COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION SYSTEM
Author(s) -
Morris J. W.,
Glen H. F.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
taxon
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1996-8175
pISSN - 0040-0262
DOI - 10.2307/1219894
Subject(s) - herbarium , extant taxon , library science , geography , information system , numbering , information retrieval , taxonomy (biology) , computer science , archaeology , zoology , ecology , biology , evolutionary biology , engineering , electrical engineering , programming language
Summary Developments in EDP‐IR within herbaria are briefly reviewed and progress with implementation of a data banking system by the National Herbarium of the Botanical Research Institute, Pretoria (PRE) is outlined. The three linked bases of the bank (literature, taxonomic information and specimen bases) are described. The numbering systems used for genera, based on that of de Dalla Torre & Harms, as well as those for species and families are described. Procedures which were used for encoding the 500 000 extant Southern African herbarium specimens in PRE as well as methods being used for accessioning new collections are outlined. Both a prototype query system (in operation) and a production query system (nearing completion) are described. Progress to date is discussed and ways in which encoding errors were obviated are highlighted.