I agree, this album is a good idea; however with several provisos.
First – If people truly want help with identifying flora, it’s essential the pictures include both bloom and foliage.
Second – Including the size of the bloom and the height of the plant helps.
Third - The location and time of year are helpful, too.
Lastly – Your idea will only work if pictures are removed from this album as soon as identification is made. Even the most dedicated person is not going to page through hundreds (or even tens) of pictures in an attempt to help. That’s asking far too much.
I'll try to get back to this soon and see if I can provide some indentifications. Generally I can at least give the genus or family name, but with some plants its hard to go beyond that based simply on photos for reasons photohiker lists.
The Butterflies of Cascadia: A Field Guide to All the Species of Washington, Oregon, and Surrounding Territories by Robert Michael Pyle, Idie Ulsh, and David Nunnallee (definitive, if heavy)
The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley (probably the current definitive fild guide to most users, there are LIGHTER
Eastern and Western editions)
Wildflowers of the Olympics and Cascades by Charles Stewart (Most smaller field guides have a problem with selection of what to leave out. This guy has a genius for including the flowers your likely to see when climbing and hiking. And the book is LIGHT.)
I do not know how much detail our fearless page dude wants. There are several regional guides that are useful. The Wallowas, Steens, Three Sisters all have monographs on plants that are not field guides.
Also, National Parks, Refuges, and many other areas have checklists of flora and fauna that help us nonspecialists narrow down the likely and the possible.
Where do we stop?
Finally, know-it all, a web site with many natural history resources, operated by a bilogist/retired teacher, with many excellent on-line sources, is located at:
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/
I missed this one when you first posted it, glad to stumble on it now. This is a great idea and puts SP and the album concept to a great use. This idea could be extended to unidentified birds, mammals, even mountains.
There may be too many pictures in there now (64), but it's still a nice idea.
Theoretically it does include birds, mammals (but not mountains), and there are some insect pics waiting for help in identification, but most are indeed flowers/plants.
sunfish - Jul 25, 2007 6:42 pm - Voted 10/10
Well done...and a very good idea.
Regards
sunfish
Arthur Digbee - Jul 25, 2007 6:44 pm - Voted 10/10
great ideaNot only a great idea but full of good pictures.
birdny - Jul 25, 2007 8:06 pm - Voted 10/10
It is a Great ideaAgree with those above, its a great idea. The first key in identifying here is the location of where the pics were taken.
Michael Hoyt - Jul 25, 2007 9:03 pm - Voted 10/10
ExcellentI agree, this album is a good idea; however with several provisos.
First – If people truly want help with identifying flora, it’s essential the pictures include both bloom and foliage.
Second – Including the size of the bloom and the height of the plant helps.
Third - The location and time of year are helpful, too.
Lastly – Your idea will only work if pictures are removed from this album as soon as identification is made. Even the most dedicated person is not going to page through hundreds (or even tens) of pictures in an attempt to help. That’s asking far too much.
dmiki - Jul 26, 2007 1:50 am - Hasn't voted
Re: ExcellentThank you! I have incorporated your useful comments in the main text.
donhaller3 - Jul 26, 2007 4:50 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: ExcellentAlso context helps--what "zone"? Jargon or tech language not necessary..
"Along a stream running through mountain hemlock and meadows", "at the timber line", or "under ponderosa pines" are examples.
dmiki - Jul 26, 2007 5:04 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: ExcellentI've incorporated your suggestion - thanks!
mrh - Jul 26, 2007 2:33 pm - Voted 10/10
Nice ideaI'll try to get back to this soon and see if I can provide some indentifications. Generally I can at least give the genus or family name, but with some plants its hard to go beyond that based simply on photos for reasons photohiker lists.
donhaller3 - Jul 26, 2007 9:03 pm - Voted 10/10
GuidesThe Butterflies of Cascadia: A Field Guide to All the Species of Washington, Oregon, and Surrounding Territories by Robert Michael Pyle, Idie Ulsh, and David Nunnallee (definitive, if heavy)
The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley (probably the current definitive fild guide to most users, there are LIGHTER
Eastern and Western editions)
Wildflowers of the Olympics and Cascades by Charles Stewart (Most smaller field guides have a problem with selection of what to leave out. This guy has a genius for including the flowers your likely to see when climbing and hiking. And the book is LIGHT.)
I do not know how much detail our fearless page dude wants. There are several regional guides that are useful. The Wallowas, Steens, Three Sisters all have monographs on plants that are not field guides.
Also, National Parks, Refuges, and many other areas have checklists of flora and fauna that help us nonspecialists narrow down the likely and the possible.
Where do we stop?
Finally, know-it all, a web site with many natural history resources, operated by a bilogist/retired teacher, with many excellent on-line sources, is located at:
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/
dmiki - Jul 27, 2007 2:15 am - Hasn't voted
Re: GuidesThank you! I have added this great info to the page.
mrh - Aug 9, 2007 3:56 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: GuidesThere is a plant guide for the Sisters? Do you have a citation or link?
donhaller3 - Aug 9, 2007 5:54 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: GuidesYes, sort of. I have a copy at home. I will send you specifics tomorrow. ( My home computer ate its own allocation tables last Friday.)
I believe it is a U of O Press bulletin, large format soft back.
donhaller3 - Aug 10, 2007 12:53 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: GuidesPlants of the Three Sisters Region, Oregon Cascade Range.
Orlin L. Ireland. 130 pages, 34 figures. April 1968.
http://www.uoregon.edu/~mnh/Pages/mnch_pubs.html
Also appears to be available through various bookstores.
mrh - Aug 10, 2007 1:46 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: GuidesThanks Don.
peterbud - Aug 13, 2007 5:51 am - Voted 10/10
Very useful!I'll be on the "seek" side :)
hiltrud.liu - Nov 3, 2007 6:14 pm - Voted 10/10
Very nice...and colourful!
Cheers
Hiltrud
dmiki - Nov 5, 2007 1:21 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Very nice...Hiltrud, thank you for your encouragement and also for helping identify some of the plants people are unsure about!
Cyrill - Nov 29, 2007 4:13 pm - Voted 10/10
AAAa very interesting report!
Nelson - Dec 1, 2007 10:09 pm - Voted 10/10
Great ideaI missed this one when you first posted it, glad to stumble on it now. This is a great idea and puts SP and the album concept to a great use. This idea could be extended to unidentified birds, mammals, even mountains.
There may be too many pictures in there now (64), but it's still a nice idea.
dmiki - Dec 3, 2007 8:01 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Great ideaHello Nelson,
Thanks for your kind words.
Theoretically it does include birds, mammals (but not mountains), and there are some insect pics waiting for help in identification, but most are indeed flowers/plants.