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The database can be searched on several criteria,
either separately or combined in a multicriteria search.
Simple search
Multicriteria search
Enter search characteristics as above for several search criteria,
then click the "Submit" button.
Note: a search including
several criteria might not necessary bring up any result.
Some information on the search items
Family,
genus, species
The New World Fruits Database uses the species level as its
lowest taxonomic level, following the Limited 1A standard
of the TDWG "Plant Names in Botanical Databases" Standard.
It does not provide information on subspecies, varieties or
cultivars nor on authors and references.
All taxonomic names have been checked in the first instance against the GRIN Taxonomy using the IPGRI Taxonomic Nomenclature Checker. Additional checks were made against the VAST Missouri Botanical Garden Database and the IPNI International Plant Names Index Database.
Vernacular
names
The database has vernacular names in English, Spanish, Portuguese,
French, Italian and indigenous languages, where available
Fruit use
Information on fruit use and plant use has been standardized
according to TDWG
Economic Botany Data Standard. Fruit Parts and
Plant Parts have been standardized according to the Level
3 "Plant Parts" standards while the Product Group
and Product (higher level of detail) have been standardized
following the Level 3 "Preparations Used in" standard
Geographic
Information
Geographic information has been stored using the first three
levels of the TDWG
World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions
Standard. Level 1 corresponds to the continent level, Level
2 to the Region Level [map] and Level 3 to
the Botanical Country Level. If available, information
is provided on the centre of origin and distribution.
Floristic
region
Information on floristic region using the TDWG "Floristic
Region" Standard (based on Takhtajan (1986) [map] is provided where
available.
Maps
Distribution maps are based on publicly available herbarium and collection data (W3TROPICOS, SALVIAS). All collection sites were plotted on the map.
Modeled distribution maps were developed based on these data. Using the free biodiversity analysis tool DIVA-GIS (version 4.2), a Domain Mean Distance analysis was applied using 19 bioclimatic parameters
and based on a 10 minutes resolution climate grid (WORLDCLIM) to predict the potential distribution for each crop. Green zones indicate those zones that show similar climatic conditions as these prevailing at the collection sites and that therefore can be considered potential cultivation zones. Darker shades indicate those zones that are the most optimal zones according to the model. In order to obtain
reliable results, the model was only applied for those species for which more than 10 georeferenced collection sites were available. Results of the model however, still largely depend on the quality and reliability of the input data, and are therefore only indicative.
Search results page
This page gives a list of all species that meet the search criteria. In case of search at genus or species level it also includes botanical synonyms. Click on the species name to get the detailed information.
Results set page
In addition to available information on the searchable items, information is given on synonyms, biological status, plant use (using TDWG standards on Plant Use), experts, Internet references, bibliographic references and additional Internet sources if available. The biological status of the species was defined according to IPGRI's Multicrop Passport Descriptors and consists of five classes: (Wild, Weedy/Volunteer/Protected, Landrace /Traditional Cultivar, Breeding/Research Material and Advanced Cultivar). As all species included in this database are native in the Americas, a species present in the highest class (in casu Advanced Cultivar) de facto will also be found in the lower biological status classes.
The Results set page also provides thumbnail pictures of the selected species, if available. Click on the picture to get the full image.