1 Reply by stevemcbill (edited by stevemcbill 01-03-2011 16:23:28)

  • stevemcbill
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  • From: Runcorn, Cheshire
  • Registered: 21-11-2006
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Re: Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) Inconsistencies

Charles,

There appears to be a small issue with the Common Names which are or are not applied to the species Prunella vulgaris, L. - NBNSYS0000004225 - flowering plant.

Typing in the Common Name as one word (Selfheal) brings up the following list:

Your search term: selfheal:
3 matches found:
Prunella vulgaris, L. - NBNSYS0000004225 - flowering plant
Synonyms

    * Selfheal,   - NBNSYS0000170372

Prunella grandiflora, (L.) Scholler - NBNSYS0500000315 - flowering plant
Synonyms

    * Large Selfheal,   - NHMSYS0000523118
    * Large-flowered Selfheal,   - NBNSYS0200000704
    * Prunella vulgaris var. grandiflora, L. - NHMSYS0000462079

Prunella laciniata, (L.) L. - NBNSYS0000004226 - flowering plant
Synonyms

    * Cut-Leaved Selfheal,   - NBNSYS0000166377
    * Cut-leaved Selfheal,   - NHMSYS0000457783
    * Prunella vulgaris var. laciniata, L. - NHMSYS0100002595


Typing in the Common Name as a hyphenated word (Self-heal) brings up this list:

Your search term: self-heal:
5 matches found:
Trifurcula headleyella, (Stainton, 1854) - NBNSYS0100005899 - insect - moth
Synonyms

    * Fedalmia headleyella, Stainton - NBNSYS0000025645
    * Self-heal Pigmy,   - NHMSYS0020509145

Prunella grandiflora, (L.) Scholler - NBNSYS0500000315 - flowering plant
Synonyms

    * Large Selfheal,   - NHMSYS0000523118
    * Large-flowered Selfheal,   - NBNSYS0200000704
    * Prunella vulgaris var. grandiflora, L. - NHMSYS0000462079

Prunella laciniata, (L.) L. - NBNSYS0000004226 - flowering plant
Synonyms

    * Cut-Leaved Selfheal,   - NBNSYS0000166377
    * Cut-leaved Selfheal,   - NHMSYS0000457783
    * Prunella vulgaris var. laciniata, L. - NHMSYS0100002595

Prunella vulgaris, L. - NBNSYS0000004225 - flowering plant
Synonyms

    * Selfheal,   - NBNSYS0000170372

Prunella vulgaris x laciniata ? P. x intermedia, Link - NHMSYS0001754529 - flowering plant
Synonyms

    * Hybrid Self-Heal,   - NBNSYS0000167905
    * Prunella hybrida, Knaf - NBNSYS0000154905
    * Prunella laciniata x vulgaris,   - NBNSYS0000161868
    * Prunella laciniata x vulgaris (P. x intermedia), Link - NHMSYS0020082600
    * Prunella x hybrida, Knaf - NBNSYS0000161869
    * Prunella x intermedia, Link - NBNSYS0000004227

Typing the Common Name as two separate words (Self heal) brings up the following list:

Your search term: self heal:
2 matches found:
Prunella vulgaris x laciniata ? P. x intermedia, Link - NHMSYS0001754529 - flowering plant
Synonyms

    * Hybrid Self-Heal,   - NBNSYS0000167905
    * Prunella hybrida, Knaf - NBNSYS0000154905
    * Prunella laciniata x vulgaris,   - NBNSYS0000161868
    * Prunella laciniata x vulgaris (P. x intermedia), Link - NHMSYS0020082600
    * Prunella x hybrida, Knaf - NBNSYS0000161869
    * Prunella x intermedia, Link - NBNSYS0000004227

Trifurcula headleyella, (Stainton, 1854) - NBNSYS0100005899 - insect - moth
Synonyms

    * Fedalmia headleyella, Stainton - NBNSYS0000025645
    * Self-heal Pigmy,   - NHMSYS0020509145

Shouldn't each of these Common Names be linked to the same (complete) list of species names currently split between each of the forms of Common Name delineated above ???

Cheers and thanks.

Steve

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/

stevemcbill's Website

2 Reply by CharlesHussey

  • CharlesHussey
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  • From: The Natural History Museum
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Re: Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) Inconsistencies

Dear Steve,

This would seem to be an issue for how the search mechanism (essentially a "fuzzy match") works within the Gateway (I don't think you are referring to Recorder or the Species Dictionary website) rather than the name mapping within the Dictionary.

Charles Hussey

NBN Species Dictionary Project Manager (Retired!) smile

3 Reply by stevemcbill

  • stevemcbill
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  • Registered: 21-11-2006
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Re: Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) Inconsistencies

Charles,

They were the names returned on searches through the Webservices Species Name service AND by the NBN Gateway Taxonomy Search Webservice at:

http://data.nbn.org.uk/nbnexamples/ws-t … Search.jsp

Our Cheshire County BSBI Recorder has indicated that to him Prunella grandiflora is Large-flowered Selfheal and P. laciniata is Cut-leaved Selfheal. Very prosaic names ! He would expect any search for Selfheal to catch all three.

Can I ask you to inform the Gateway Web Management team/person (would that be Graham?) to see if they can take this problem on-board in the Search process and see if it can be ironed out/improved at all ??

Many thanks.

Steve

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/

stevemcbill's Website

4 Reply by mpettipher

  • mpettipher
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Re: Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) Inconsistencies

Hello Charles,

It was me who reported this query to Steve. I knew the plant was 'self heal'. I used RODIS to list the scientfic name, finding only 2 - as Steve lists. Given Prunella vulgaris itself was not listed I was tempted to use the variant given, thinking perhaps this hybrid was the common species. Only on checking elsewhere did I realise that the list was incomplete and that the common species was missing.

While this is not a serious issue and I did find the correct species, I think if there is a desire to encourage wider input of records, it should be made as easy as possible to input the correct species. If common names are accepted, they should at least link to the most likely species. In my opinion it would be better to remove a common name altogether than to accept it but not list the appropriate species - it would force the use of another name which results in a more complete list.

Even when I know the scientific name, I may input the common name because it is usually shorter.

I realise there are more important issues than this, but it would be useful to know whether you would like such 'anomalies' reported.

Thanks

Michael Pettipher

5 Reply by Paul Gilbertson

  • Paul Gilbertson
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  • Registered: 09-02-2010
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Re: Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) Inconsistencies

Michael,

Sorry for the late reply, but as you may guess we've been busy with the new Gateway release. The problem you are seeing is due to the way our database server does fuzzy pattern matching. We'll put your comments in our bug tracking system and take a look at it.

Paul Gilbertson,
NBN Gateway Developer

Paul Gilbertson's Website