Plant Databases

A step by step guide to the structure of composites, e.g. asters, goldenrods, sunflowers, daisies of all types, Joe Pye, thistles. Learn the flower structures that are necessary to key out this enormous family of plants. Part of the BotPhoto.info website of A. Tal.

Flora of Buttermilk Falls Gorge: hundreds of species are accessible by name, location/ecoregion in the gorge, or type of plant. Representative of gorge flora in general, and a good slice for common local plants in general. Previously a part of Arieh Tal's Botphoto website. 

A pictorial key designed by Adrianna Hirtler, published in 2018.  It isn't a database. It is a poster that guides you twith drawings to identify all 17 species of Solidago found in the Finger Lakes. Available for purchase at Cayuga Nature Center or from the author. (The link is to an announcement - go to page 16.)

Seed collection, storage, treatment for a large number of species native to the U.S. Details for small-large restoration projects (e.g. seed weights) but also useful for propagation protocols for anyone wanting to grow from seed. 

Specimens from the State Univ of NY at Cortland, some with photos. Approximately 5K vascular plants with a central NYS focus, 9.6K fungi, and 250 bryophytes. (Note that a large collection of marine algae is not yet included on the website.)

Mike Hough has put together a very nice collection of photos and information on regional flora "for 700+ native species from the upper Midwest and Northeast. The plants cover a broad range of habitats including savanna, prairie, pine barrens, dunes, eastern deciduous forest and a variety of wetland habitats."  Searchable by flower color.  The accompanying blog highlights finds from his forays with great photos.  Excellent for central NY counties.

Tom Stuart's Hardy Fern Library covers many species native to the Finger Lakes region, with identification clues, cultivation information, and very helpful photos and drawings. The site itself has been taken down, but an archived version remains on the Internet Archive. There are many versions archived there. To get to the most complete (May 2017), use the arrow key towards the top of the page to move back in time if necessary. Use the genus search at top, not bottom left.

GoBotany is an online flora for the New England states sponsored by the New England Wildflower Society and NSF. Most of the plants in upstate NY are included in the database.  There are photos, simple keys, full keys, ID help (presumably only for plants seen in New England), a glossary, maps and more.

Very detailed photos of diagnostic features for Asters, Goldenrods, Sunflowers, etc. found in the Finger Lakes region of NY.  Pictorial key. Part of the Botphoto website by Arieh Tal, FLNPS member.  

Excellent photos and identification clues for the Violaceae family members found in central NY state by FLNPS member Arieh Tal.  Part of his Botphoto website.