AusGrass - Grasses of Australia

Donovan Sharp and Bryan K. Simon
ABRS Identification Series, interactive CD ROM
ABRS and EPA Queensland, September 2002
ISBN 0 643 06861 9

Acknowledgments

AusGrass, an interactive CD ROM, is the largest and most comprehensive identification guide to a plant group ever published. Using either interactive or dichotomous keys, AusGrass enables quick and accurate identification of any of the 1323 native and naturalised species of grass in Australia. This number includes all formally described species and several as-yet undescribed and informal taxa. Keys are provided for many of the recognised subspecies and varieties.

The key is a truly random access tool, which allows users to enter the characteristics of the grass specimen they wish to identify, in any order. The key then sorts out those species possessing the characteristics nominated, rejecting those that do not. By progressively providing additional information about the unknown specimen, users can narrow the search, eventually ending up with just one or a few species. The success of the identification can be checked by comparing the specimen with illustrations from a range of sources, maps and detailed descriptions.

With AusGrass you will be able to:

Use either interactive or dichotomous keys to quickly and accurately identify any of the 1323 species of grass in Australia (using fresh or dry specimens, irrespective of whether they are in flower or fruit);
easily access comprehensive information for each species, including a botanical description, notes on their distribution and taxonomy, and images for most species including diagnostic line drawings, scanned specimens, photographs and stereomicrographs;
quickly navigate between taxa using hyperlinks;
browse information by species name, generic name, common name or synonym;
view supplementary information including a glossary of terms and an extensive list of references.

The latest web-integrated Lucid player provides an easy-to-use interface with clear drawings of the character states, comprehensive fact sheets and a guide to the morphology and terminology of grass parts.

The source of data and contributions by many workers are detailed in the Acknowledgments.

Parallel to publication of this CD ROM, ABRS has jointly published with CSIRO Publishing Flora of Australia volume 43, Poaceae 1, Introduction and Atlas, which provides a range of essays and background information on Australian grasses, a synoptic classification of the grasses and an atlas to all native and naturalised taxa.

This work was produced with the generous financial support of Bushcare, a programme of the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust. Further information on these programmes is available at http://www.nht.gov.au, or by writing to The Department of the Environment and Heritage, GPO Box 787, Canberra, ACT 2601.

The AusGrass CD ROM is available from CSIRO Publishing.