Plants, fungi & lichens

The current national platform for Australian plant descriptions, identification keys, illustrations, distributions and habitat accounts.

Best for

Working from recorded morphology through an Australian key rather than matching a single photograph.

Limits

Authoritative where a group has been treated, but the electronic flora is still expanding and some families or profiles remain incomplete.

Coverage

Australian native and naturalised plants, with treatment depth varying by group.

Reuse

CC BY unless a page, image or contributing source states otherwise.

A detailed regional flora with interactive keys, descriptions, images, maps and herbarium-linked records.

Best for

Identifying New South Wales plants from diagnostic characters and checking local distribution against herbarium evidence.

Limits

Primarily New South Wales. State treatments can differ from the national census, and determinations outside the region need an appropriate local flora.

Coverage

New South Wales vascular plants, including native and naturalised taxa.

Reuse

Botanic Gardens of Sydney citation and reuse terms apply; image rights can differ by contributor.

National descriptions, habitat, distribution and interactive keys for Australian mosses, liverworts and hornworts.

Best for

Moving an Australian bryophyte observation from growth form toward a defensible taxon using field and microscopic characters.

Limits

Some profiles are explicitly partial, and many species cannot be resolved reliably without microscopy and a suitable technical flora.

Coverage

Australian bryophytes; descriptive coverage is still being developed.

Reuse

CC BY unless the profile, image or source states otherwise.

Free specialist family treatments and identification keys progressively replacing the older printed British and Irish lichen flora.

Best for

Working through technical lichen characters with a current specialist treatment rather than relying on colour photographs.

Limits

Regional and still incomplete. The treatments are technical and often require microscopy or chemical tests; the older LGBI2 genus key is acknowledged as outdated.

Coverage

Great Britain and Ireland; family treatments are released progressively.

Reuse

British Lichen Society and individual publication terms apply.

A global vascular-plant reference joining accepted names, synonyms, native ranges, descriptions, literature and extensive imagery.

Best for

Checking the accepted global treatment of a vascular-plant name and comparing distribution and available herbarium imagery.

Limits

It is not a universal diagnostic key. Descriptions and images are uneven among taxa, and regional floras can legitimately adopt a different current treatment.

Coverage

Global vascular plants; coverage depth varies by family and region.

Reuse

Kew and contributing-provider terms apply; check the rights statement attached to data and images before reuse.

The current national platform for Australian plant descriptions, identification keys, illustrations, distributions and habitat accounts.

Best for

Working from recorded morphology through an Australian key rather than matching a single photograph.

Limits

Authoritative where a group has been treated, but the electronic flora is still expanding and some families or profiles remain incomplete.

Coverage

Australian native and naturalised plants, with treatment depth varying by group.

Reuse

CC BY unless a page, image or contributing source states otherwise.

A detailed regional flora with interactive keys, descriptions, images, maps and herbarium-linked records.

Best for

Identifying New South Wales plants from diagnostic characters and checking local distribution against herbarium evidence.

Limits

Primarily New South Wales. State treatments can differ from the national census, and determinations outside the region need an appropriate local flora.

Coverage

New South Wales vascular plants, including native and naturalised taxa.

Reuse

Botanic Gardens of Sydney citation and reuse terms apply; image rights can differ by contributor.

National descriptions, habitat, distribution and interactive keys for Australian mosses, liverworts and hornworts.

Best for

Moving an Australian bryophyte observation from growth form toward a defensible taxon using field and microscopic characters.

Limits

Some profiles are explicitly partial, and many species cannot be resolved reliably without microscopy and a suitable technical flora.

Coverage

Australian bryophytes; descriptive coverage is still being developed.

Reuse

CC BY unless the profile, image or source states otherwise.

Free specialist family treatments and identification keys progressively replacing the older printed British and Irish lichen flora.

Best for

Working through technical lichen characters with a current specialist treatment rather than relying on colour photographs.

Limits

Regional and still incomplete. The treatments are technical and often require microscopy or chemical tests; the older LGBI2 genus key is acknowledged as outdated.

Coverage

Great Britain and Ireland; family treatments are released progressively.

Reuse

British Lichen Society and individual publication terms apply.

Australian field guides, identification support and mapped observations connecting skilled amateurs, mycologists and public recording platforms.

Best for

Learning the field characters of conspicuous Australian macrofungi and finding an appropriate expert community.

Limits

Strongest for visible macrofungi rather than microfungi. Community identifications still need diagnostic support, and the resource must never be used to infer edibility or safety.

Coverage

Australia, especially conspicuous and target macrofungi.

Reuse

Site, publication and contributed-media terms vary; check the item before reuse.

Contributing

Public participation is routed through Fungimap activities and linked observation platforms; account requirements depend on the activity.

A global vascular-plant reference joining accepted names, synonyms, native ranges, descriptions, literature and extensive imagery.

Best for

Checking the accepted global treatment of a vascular-plant name and comparing distribution and available herbarium imagery.

Limits

It is not a universal diagnostic key. Descriptions and images are uneven among taxa, and regional floras can legitimately adopt a different current treatment.

Coverage

Global vascular plants; coverage depth varies by family and region.

Reuse

Kew and contributing-provider terms apply; check the rights statement attached to data and images before reuse.

APC records nationally accepted Australian vascular-plant names; APNI provides the publication, usage and synonym trail behind them.

Best for

Settling the accepted Australian name, then tracing alternative names and the literature in which each usage appeared.

Limits

Neither service identifies an unknown plant or replaces a flora. Taxonomic concepts can change, so retain the service and access date with a determination.

Coverage

Australian native and naturalised vascular plants and their nomenclatural history.

Reuse

Australian National Species List and Australian Government reuse terms apply.

The current national platform for Australian plant descriptions, identification keys, illustrations, distributions and habitat accounts.

Best for

Working from recorded morphology through an Australian key rather than matching a single photograph.

Limits

Authoritative where a group has been treated, but the electronic flora is still expanding and some families or profiles remain incomplete.

Coverage

Australian native and naturalised plants, with treatment depth varying by group.

Reuse

CC BY unless a page, image or contributing source states otherwise.

A detailed regional flora with interactive keys, descriptions, images, maps and herbarium-linked records.

Best for

Identifying New South Wales plants from diagnostic characters and checking local distribution against herbarium evidence.

Limits

Primarily New South Wales. State treatments can differ from the national census, and determinations outside the region need an appropriate local flora.

Coverage

New South Wales vascular plants, including native and naturalised taxa.

Reuse

Botanic Gardens of Sydney citation and reuse terms apply; image rights can differ by contributor.

National descriptions, habitat, distribution and interactive keys for Australian mosses, liverworts and hornworts.

Best for

Moving an Australian bryophyte observation from growth form toward a defensible taxon using field and microscopic characters.

Limits

Some profiles are explicitly partial, and many species cannot be resolved reliably without microscopy and a suitable technical flora.

Coverage

Australian bryophytes; descriptive coverage is still being developed.

Reuse

CC BY unless the profile, image or source states otherwise.

Linked global services for fungal nomenclature, publication details and an accepted-name consensus, including lichenised fungi.

Best for

Separating the publication history of a fungal name from the currently accepted taxonomic treatment.

Limits

A nomenclatural record is not an identification, and a name present in Index Fungorum is not necessarily the accepted one. Visual and ecological evidence is limited.

Coverage

Global fungi, including lichenised fungi, with source-dependent taxonomic depth.

Reuse

Kew and database terms apply; no blanket licence for all linked content is stated.

Australia's current accepted fungal classification connected to the national nomenclatural and bibliographic trail.

Best for

Checking which fungal name Australia currently accepts and tracing the usages and synonyms behind it.

Limits

It is a name service, not an image key. A large proportion of Australia's fungal diversity remains undescribed, so a missing species may reflect a real knowledge gap.

Coverage

Australian fungi; taxonomic and nomenclatural records rather than comprehensive identification media.

Reuse

Australian National Species List and Australian Government reuse terms apply.

The current national destination for accepted Australian lichen names and their nomenclatural records.

Best for

Verifying the accepted Australian name after morphology, microscopy or chemistry has produced a candidate.

Limits

It provides little visual identification help. Many lichens require microscopic structures or chemical characters that a field photograph cannot show.

Coverage

Australian lichens and lichenicolous fungi.

Reuse

Australian National Species List and Australian Government reuse terms apply.

Free specialist family treatments and identification keys progressively replacing the older printed British and Irish lichen flora.

Best for

Working through technical lichen characters with a current specialist treatment rather than relying on colour photographs.

Limits

Regional and still incomplete. The treatments are technical and often require microscopy or chemical tests; the older LGBI2 genus key is acknowledged as outdated.

Coverage

Great Britain and Ireland; family treatments are released progressively.

Reuse

British Lichen Society and individual publication terms apply.

A global vascular-plant reference joining accepted names, synonyms, native ranges, descriptions, literature and extensive imagery.

Best for

Checking the accepted global treatment of a vascular-plant name and comparing distribution and available herbarium imagery.

Limits

It is not a universal diagnostic key. Descriptions and images are uneven among taxa, and regional floras can legitimately adopt a different current treatment.

Coverage

Global vascular plants; coverage depth varies by family and region.

Reuse

Kew and contributing-provider terms apply; check the rights statement attached to data and images before reuse.

APC records nationally accepted Australian vascular-plant names; APNI provides the publication, usage and synonym trail behind them.

Best for

Settling the accepted Australian name, then tracing alternative names and the literature in which each usage appeared.

Limits

Neither service identifies an unknown plant or replaces a flora. Taxonomic concepts can change, so retain the service and access date with a determination.

Coverage

Australian native and naturalised vascular plants and their nomenclatural history.

Reuse

Australian National Species List and Australian Government reuse terms apply.

A detailed regional flora with interactive keys, descriptions, images, maps and herbarium-linked records.

Best for

Identifying New South Wales plants from diagnostic characters and checking local distribution against herbarium evidence.

Limits

Primarily New South Wales. State treatments can differ from the national census, and determinations outside the region need an appropriate local flora.

Coverage

New South Wales vascular plants, including native and naturalised taxa.

Reuse

Botanic Gardens of Sydney citation and reuse terms apply; image rights can differ by contributor.

Linked global services for fungal nomenclature, publication details and an accepted-name consensus, including lichenised fungi.

Best for

Separating the publication history of a fungal name from the currently accepted taxonomic treatment.

Limits

A nomenclatural record is not an identification, and a name present in Index Fungorum is not necessarily the accepted one. Visual and ecological evidence is limited.

Coverage

Global fungi, including lichenised fungi, with source-dependent taxonomic depth.

Reuse

Kew and database terms apply; no blanket licence for all linked content is stated.

Australia's current accepted fungal classification connected to the national nomenclatural and bibliographic trail.

Best for

Checking which fungal name Australia currently accepts and tracing the usages and synonyms behind it.

Limits

It is a name service, not an image key. A large proportion of Australia's fungal diversity remains undescribed, so a missing species may reflect a real knowledge gap.

Coverage

Australian fungi; taxonomic and nomenclatural records rather than comprehensive identification media.

Reuse

Australian National Species List and Australian Government reuse terms apply.

The current national destination for accepted Australian lichen names and their nomenclatural records.

Best for

Verifying the accepted Australian name after morphology, microscopy or chemistry has produced a candidate.

Limits

It provides little visual identification help. Many lichens require microscopic structures or chemical characters that a field photograph cannot show.

Coverage

Australian lichens and lichenicolous fungi.

Reuse

Australian National Species List and Australian Government reuse terms apply.

Australian field guides, identification support and mapped observations connecting skilled amateurs, mycologists and public recording platforms.

Best for

Learning the field characters of conspicuous Australian macrofungi and finding an appropriate expert community.

Limits

Strongest for visible macrofungi rather than microfungi. Community identifications still need diagnostic support, and the resource must never be used to infer edibility or safety.

Coverage

Australia, especially conspicuous and target macrofungi.

Reuse

Site, publication and contributed-media terms vary; check the item before reuse.

Contributing

Public participation is routed through Fungimap activities and linked observation platforms; account requirements depend on the activity.

Free specialist family treatments and identification keys progressively replacing the older printed British and Irish lichen flora.

Best for

Working through technical lichen characters with a current specialist treatment rather than relying on colour photographs.

Limits

Regional and still incomplete. The treatments are technical and often require microscopy or chemical tests; the older LGBI2 genus key is acknowledged as outdated.

Coverage

Great Britain and Ireland; family treatments are released progressively.

Reuse

British Lichen Society and individual publication terms apply.

Australian field guides, identification support and mapped observations connecting skilled amateurs, mycologists and public recording platforms.

Best for

Learning the field characters of conspicuous Australian macrofungi and finding an appropriate expert community.

Limits

Strongest for visible macrofungi rather than microfungi. Community identifications still need diagnostic support, and the resource must never be used to infer edibility or safety.

Coverage

Australia, especially conspicuous and target macrofungi.

Reuse

Site, publication and contributed-media terms vary; check the item before reuse.

Contributing

Public participation is routed through Fungimap activities and linked observation platforms; account requirements depend on the activity.