Biological Attributes

Biological attributes are descriptions of basic characteristics of plants.  They appear in a tabbed notebook page in the Attributes window at the lower right of the main window of the TDC. The attributes are updated automatically every time a new name is selected. We have chosen various biological attributes to reflect the most easily understood and viewable morphological characterstics to assist with plant identification and to help assess:   1. Those most easily understood, viewed, and interpreted to help with plant identification                        (e.g. flower color). 2. Those that reflect popular botanical subjects (e.g. human use plants). 3. Those found to be most helpful in establishing significance or perseverence of plant                            populations across the landscape (e.g. rarity, nativity).   Note: All biological attributes are interactive with each other as well as with zip code, county-level and state-level phytogeography. and all taxonomic ranks! Important note:  For higher-ranked taxa, like family or genus, the attributes are a compilation of all attributes possessed by all taxa beneath them.  So a family that has only a few woody members will still show the attribute "woody."  (The attribute Woody is found under the main category Morphology as "Stem texture:  Woody plant.")