Michigan Flora app launched by U-M Herbarium
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(FOX 2) - Wondering what's growing in your backyard? There's an app for that.
The Michigan Flora mobile app was launched by University of Michigan researchers, taking advantage of the herbarium's online database that's packed with details and photos of everything that grows in the state.
But unlike other plant identification sources, this app does not need the internet to tell you the greenery growing in front of you.
Michigan Flora Online
The backstory:
The Michigan Flora Online website is curated by the university's herbarium, which contains more than 1.7 million plant specimens. It's also known for its botanical gardens.
Collections at the plant center have been growing since 1837.
The massive bank of data was once found only in physical volumes that were published in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. After being republished in 2012, it has since taken the form of a webpage and now finally a mobile app.
Why you should care:
Plant identification has frequently hit roadblocks because field researchers spend time in places without any internet.
The Michigan Flora App is a workaround.
"A lot of people who use this resource are out in the field identifying plants in places where you don't have an internet connection," said collection manager Brad Ruhel. "So, we're excited for professionals, amateurs, students and everybody in between to be able to use it a little bit more easily, for free."
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Native plants are having a moment and there is no better time to take advantage of their benefits.
What you can do:
The app is available for download for Apple and Android users
The Source: The University of Michigan Herbarium was cited for this story.