XID IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM USER' S GUIDE
With Plant Cell Database
Version 3.5 For Windows
Copyright 1997 - 2003, XID Services, Inc.
HTML Version Created by
Roger D. Meicenheimer
Department of Botany
Miami University
Oxford OH 45056
2003
|
XID Services Inc.
EXPERT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS Using Attributes of Your Own Choice |
List Species and View References |
These keys to identify plants are comprised of a set of
databases designed to run in the expert system software produced by XID
Services, Inc. The databases are supplemented by color images of each species
and line drawings to illustrate the terminology used within the menus.
Such programs offer many advantages over traditional dichotomous keys.
While originally produced to increase speed and ease of use, they also
provide the ability to easily update the data and images, and are much
cheaper to produce and more compact than hard copy guides. These databases
include a large selection of plant characteristics from which to choose.
In general, much more data are included on each plant than is necessary
to identify it. With this abundance of data, the user can identify a plant
using the characteristics most obvious and easy to describe. With each
characteristic entered by the user, the program eliminates all species
that do not have the combination of features entered.
BOTANICAL TERMINOLOGY:
The use of botanical terms has been kept to a minimum;
however, some terms used to describe plants cannot easily be replaced by
"common" words. Definitions of terms, and usually illustrations, are provided
throughout the menus of characteristics. Terms are also cross referenced
to an excellent illustrated glossary of terms, PLANT IDENTIFICATION TERMINOLOGY
(Harris and Harris, 1994, ISBN# 0-9640221-5-X) which is abbreviated PIT.
SPECIES INFORMATION:
Information provided for each species may include synonyms, ethnobotanic
uses and additional information to distinguish the plant from similar species
and to separate varieties. Keep in mind that the data for each species
is also available and constitutes an extensive botanical description.
HELP:
The instructions on the use of the XID software are all included in
the Program Help. To access program instructions,
select "Help" from the Help menu. Scrolling down through the text of Help
information provides a detailed review of how to use the various features
of the software.
ANALYSIS:
One of the most useful and powerful features of the program is the
Analyze Feature. It provides a list of the
easiest and most effective menus of characteristics to distinguish between
the remaining species that have not yet been eliminated. In the Broadleaf
database, the Analyze feature may be used at any time. However, in the
database for Grasslike Plants, it is important not to use the Analyze feature
until the plant family for the plant has been identified. In the Grasslike
database, using the Analyze feature before the family is identified, runs
a high risk of failing to identify the plant, because it may lead the user
to an attribute menu for the wrong family. If the correct family is not
known, one should first go to the Family Key menu; if the family is known,
then go directly to the appropriate family menu and the program will identify
the family after the first characteristic is entered.
INTERACTIVE IDENTIFICATION:
When using the program, SELECT SPECIMENS THAT ARE OF AVERAGE SIZE FOR
THAT POPULATION. Many of the easiest characteristics for the untrained
user will be found in the "General" menu. The user should first enter the
most obvious or unusual one or two characteristics of the plant and then
use the Analyze feature to get leads for where to go from there. If you
are not sure whether a characteristic fits the plant to be identified,
DO NOT mark it. If you are not sure which characteristic best fits the
plant (a blunt vs. rounded leaf tip, for example), USE THE "OR" FEATURE
to mark them both and ensure that the correct species will not be eliminated
from consideration. Also use the "OR" feature for dimensions of leaves,
etc. to avoid problems from specimens outside the usual size for that species.
When using the Analyze feature, the user may select any of the menus listed,
or select a different menu from the menu tree. Unless you have extensive
training in plant terminology, avoid the more complicated or technical
characteristics; they usually aren't needed anyway. Due to the large number
of characteristics to choose from, there are literally hundreds of thousands
of possible paths to identify the same plant. USE WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT IS
MOST OBVIOUS, AND MOST UNEQUIVOCAL.
PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS:
Once you have reduced the number of remaining species to a relatively
small number, review the photos and/or descriptions using the "Gallery"
or "Species List Report". It can take as many steps in the menus to reduce
the number of remaining species from 12 to 1 as it does to reduce the number
from 400 to 12!! These extra steps can greatly increase the possibility
of making an error (especially since these species have greater similarities).
REFERENCES:
The "References" section (below "Menu Structure") allows you to see
the ISBN # for the references used in the program, so that you can order
those which you would like to add to your library. You can also "drag and
drop" the references in the list so that those which you own will appear
at the top.
This program is a tool to help in the identification of plants, and
as with any key, should not be considered a final authority. Identifications
should be checked against plant descriptions. A list of references and
page numbers, describing the plant may be called up from the Species
List.
We have made every possible effort to eliminate errors from the data.
In the event you find data errors, we encourage you to Contact
us, so we may correct them and send you a new copy. Also please feel free
to contact us if you have a better image of any species that you would
like to contribute. Photographic credits are included on any images used
in the databases. The data and images are being continually updated for
inclusion in future versions.
Please feel free to Contact us if you have any
questions.
Return to User's Guide Contents
How to Contact Us:
XID Services Inc.
PO Box 272
Pullman, WA 99163
800-USA-2-XID (800-872-2943)
rold@xidservices.com
rold@pullman.com
Our web site is located at www.xidservices.com
We may be contacted directly for technical assistance.
This program is produced using software created and produced by XID
Services, Inc., Copyright 1992 - 2001.
Copying this Program to your
Hard Drive
If you wish to run this program on the hard drive of your
computer instead of from the CD, create a new folder on your hard drive,
and then (using Windows Explorer) copy all the files from the CD to the
new folder. Once that is done you may create a new shortcut icon on your
desktop to the executable which will open the program. Be sure there is
at least 50 MB of free space on your hard drive. Also, if you have a copy
of an older Windows version of XID software on your hard drive, there is
a possibility your computer may default to running the program in the older
version. If this happens, simply delete the older version.
Return to User's Guide Contents
NO INSTALLATION IS NECESSARY FOR THE MUPCES.
IF YOU ARE USING THE MUPCES DIRECTLY FROM THE CD:
IF YOU ARE USING A SONY 505 LAPTOP ON WHICH THE MUDES HAS BEEN
INSTALLED:
When you open the XID program, the XID Database Selection
Dialogue browse window appears which will show only XID Database files.
Select the XID Demonstration Database file and double click it.
If the program is not maximized on your screen, click the Maximize
button in the upper right corner (across from "Demoweed").
The current screen shows "Menu Structure", "References" and "Database
Description" in the upper left, a list of species names in the lower left
window, and a blank window on the right.
In this exercise you will identify Canada thistle by saying that it
has spiny leaves, rhizomes, and wind-blown seeds. These choices could be
entered in any order. Note the line above the species list box shows that
there are currently 72 species remaining in the database.
Click the small + box to the left of "Menu Structure" in the upper
left window. The first level of the menu structure expands.
Click the small + box to the left of "General"
Click the small + box to the left of "Spines or thorns".
Double-click the text (not the box) for "Spines on leaves and/or stems".
The number (7) to the left of the attribute (Spines on leaves and/or stems)
is the number of species in the database which display that characteristic.
Note that the number of species shown on the line above the species list
is now 7/72. This means that of the original 72 species in this database
only 7 meet the criteria selected. The remaining species are shown in green
and alphabetized at the top of the species list; the eliminated species
are shown in red and alphabetized below those remaining.
You can select whether the species are alphabetized by common or scientific
name by clicking "Options", then "Species List Report" and marking your
selection.
Click the small + box to the left of "Wind Dissemination".
Double-click "Fruit, seed, or spore wind borne". A message appears
on the screen: "Family Identified". This means that all species remaining
in the database belong to the same plant family, in this case Asteraceae.
Click "OK" to clear this message. Note that the number of species remaining
is now 3.
The next attribute which you will mark is "Rhizomes", which is not
found under General. Click the small box with the minus sign (-)to the
left of "General" to contract the menu.
Click the small + box to the left of "Root and/or Vegetative Propagule".
Note that the attributes in this menu which are not displayed by any of
the remaining species (have a frequency number of 0) are shown in red,
while those which are still applicable are shown in blue.
Double-click the word "Rhizomatous". A message now appears on the screen:
"Species identified:" and provides you with a scrollable photo and description
of the plant on the right. Click "OK" to clear the message.
You can drag the split line (that divides the right and left portions
of the screen) to the left if the entire image is not viewable.
You can select what information is displayed for the species on the
right side of the screen by clicking "Options", then "Species Description",
and making your selections.
Click the yellow brush icon in the tool bar along the left side of
the screen to clear all marks in the tree. Note that the number of species
remaining returns to the original number in the key (72/72), and all of
the menus and attributes return to a blue color.
The right hand side of the screen now displays the highlighted species
at the top of the species list. You can display the photo and description
of any species in the species list by clicking on its name.
Return to User's Guide Contents
Using the "Yes", "No",
and "Or" Commands
YES:
Click the small + box to the left of "Flowers", then click the small
+ box to the left of Flower color.
Double-click the word "Yellow". A "Y" mark now appears to the left
of "Yellow", and the number of species remaining is reduced. You have said
the color of the flower on your plant specimen IS yellow.
Click the Eraser icon (between "N" and "OR" on the left hand tool bar
to clear the mark on the attribute. Note that the number of species returns
to the original number (72/72).
Marking more than one attribute in a menu with a "YES" mark causes
the attributes to be combined as "AND". For example: Double-click "Yellow".
Double-click "Purple". The number of species remaining is now much fewer
than when only "Yellow" was marked. You have said that your flower is BOTH
yellow AND purple in color, or that both yellow AND purple flowers are
present within the species (these situations could be distinguished by
marking the "Multi-colored" attribute).
Click the yellow brush icon to clear both marks you have made.
NO:
Click (don't double-click) "Green", so that it is highlighted.
Click the "N" icon on the toolbar to mark the attribute "No". A "N"
mark now appears to the left of "Green", and the number of species remaining
is reduced. You have said that the color of the flower on your specimen
IS NOT green. Note that the number to the left of "Green" still shows some
remaining species. This is due to the fact that "NO" marks eliminate only
those species/items that are marked exclusively for that character (in
that menu). To eliminate a species that can occur with more than one attribute
in a menu, all possible attributes for that species must be marked as "NO"
in the menu.
Click the eraser icon to remove the mark. Note that the number of species
returns to 72/72.
OR:
Single-click the word "Yellow". Click the OR button on the toolbar.
A dialogue box appears with the list of attributes in the menu with small
boxes to the left of each. "Yellow" is already checked. Check the box to
the left of "Yellow-orange", and then click "OK". An "OR" mark now appears
to the left of both selections. You have said that you are unsure of the
color of the flower on your specimen, but that it is either yellow OR yellow-orange.
Use the "OR" technique any time you are unsure of the exact answer.
This is very helpful for highly variable attributes such as leaf shape
and plant height.
Click the yellow brush icon to clear all the marks you have made in
the "Flower Color" menu. Note the number of species remaining returns to
72/72, and the menus all change to blue. Click the small minus sign (-)
box to the left of "Menu Structure" to compress the menu structure tree.
Return to User's Guide Contents
In this exercise you will use the Analyze feature to aid
in identifying a dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
Click the "A" button on the toolbar. A "List of Useful Menus" appears
on the right. This is a list of suggestions for attribute menus which will
be useful in identifying your plant. The suggestions at the top are the
menus that are easiest and most likely to separate between the remaining
species.
Click "Flower color" in the list of suggestions.
The Menu Structure tree opens to this menu.
Double-click the word "Yellow" in the "Flower Color" menu. Note that
the number of species remaining is now 25.
The list of suggestions on the right should automatically reset to
consider only the species not yet eliminated from the list. If it did not,
click "Options" at the top of the screen, and click on "Auto Update", and
then click the "A" button again. You can tell whether it automatically
reset by whether the top suggestion (Flower Color) has changed.
Click the words "Life Cycle" in the list of suggestions on the right.
Double-click the word "Perennial" in the "Life Cycle" menu. The number
of species remaining is now 8.
Click "Milky Juice" in the list of suggestions.
Double-click the words "Juice milky" in the menu. The number of species
remaining is now 3.
Click "Root or Vegetative Propagule" in the list of suggestions.
Double-click the word "Taproot" in the menu. The number of species
remaining in the database is now 2 and the "Family Identified" message
appears. Click "OK" to clear the message.
Click "Main Stem Branches" in the list of suggestions.
Double Click the words "Main Stem Unbranched" in the menu. A message
comes up that says "No analysis possible with only one species left" (this
is due to the auto reset of the analysis function).
Click "OK" to clear the message. A "Species Identified" message now
appears and the species image comes up on the right. Click "OK" to clear
the message.
Clear all marks with the brush icon in the tool bar, scroll to the
top of the menus, then click the small minus (-) box to the left of "Menu
Structure" to compress the tree.
Marking attributes of your choice with "YES", "OR", or "NO" can be
combined in any sequence with asking the program for suggestions (Analyze
Feature).
Return to User's Guide Contents
Expand the Menu Structure (by clicking the small plus (+)
box to the left). Expand the Flowers menu (by clicking the small plus (+)
box to the left). Expand the Flower Color menu (by clicking the small plus
(+) box to the left).
The number of species in the database with each of the attributes is
shown at the left of the attribute. This screen tells you that for this
database (or the remaining group of species) "Yellow" and "White" are common
flower colors, but "Red-orange" and "Brown/black" are rare flower colors.
Note that any time an attribute is marked, the distribution numbers for
all the attributes change to reflect the newly reduced species list. Note
also that the total of the distribution numbers in a menu is often greater
than the number of species in the database. This is due to species that
are marked for more than one attribute in the menu.
Contract the "Flowers" menu by clicking the minus sign (-) to the left
of "Flowers".
Expand "General", then "Milky Juice.
Double-Click "Juice milky".
Expand the "Leaves" menu, then "Leaf Arrangement".
Double-click "Opposite".
The "...Identified..." message appears. Click "OK" to clear the message.
Click the check-mark icon on the tool bar. At the top of the window on
the right it shows you what you have done, i.e., "YES" for Juice milky
and "YES" for Opposite. No species will appear in the "Eliminated Species"
section of this report unless you have eliminated them using the "Eliminate"
command discussed later.
Click "Database" at the top of the screen, and select "Common
Attributes". These are the attributes that are common to the remaining
species.
Clear all marks with the brush icon and then compress the Menu Structure.
Return to User's Guide Contents
List Species and View
References
Click the blue "Item/Species List" icon on the toolbar
to show a scrollable list of the species in the database along with a selection
of information and images. Each time this button is clicked, a dialogue
box appears asking what information you wish to have displayed (unless
you have selected the box which says "Don't show this dialog before every
report").
The list displayed will be only those species which have not been eliminated
by attribute marking. Along with the species names, you may select to view
a picture of the species, descriptive information, the filename of the
picture in the database, and a list of references with page numbers where
you may look up the species.
Click the yellow Gallery button (overlapping squares) on
the toolbar. Images of the species that have not been eliminated are presented,
allowing you to scroll down through them. If the list of species is too
long for all the images to be displayed, clicking on "More" at the bottom
of the scrolled images will display the next group of images. You can change
the size of the images, how many are presented (up to 100) and whether
the species name is displayed with each image, by going to "Options", "Gallery"
and making your selection. Since the images are of various sizes there
may be some blank spaces in the gallery. You can also change the way that
the gallery is presented by moving the "Split Line" that divides the right
and left sides of the screen. If the names are included, the images are
presented in a vertical arrangement. If names are not included, the images
may also be presented in rows, depending on the width of the images and
the width of the right window.
Go to "Options", "Gallery" to select whether or not to show the names.
Holding the cursor (not clicking) on any image for a couple of seconds
will also cause its name to appear.
Click once on an image to bring up the context menu.
Click on "Find item in list" and the species list on the left will
scroll down (if necessary) and highlight the species name.
Click once on an image to bring up the context menu.
Click on "Toggle eliminated", and a red X will be placed in front of
the species name in the species list at the left, removing the species
from those remaining. Since the species has been eliminated it is shown
below those remaining in the list and its image is removed from the gallery.
Click once on an image to bring up the context menu.
Click on "Description", and the dialogue box for species description
will appear unless "Don't show this dialog before every report" has been
checked under "Options", "Species description" (in which case the selected
information for that species will appear, replacing the gallery).
Click the yellow Gallery button (overlapping squares) on the toolbar.
Click once on an image to bring up the context menu.
Clicking on "Distinctive attributes" will call up the distinctive attributes
feature described in the section just below this.
Return to User's Guide Contents
Right-click on the words "Menu Structure", click "Expand
attribute menus. Mark one or more menu attributes, until the number of
species remaining is around 5 to 15.
Right-click on one of the remaining species in the list in the lower
left corner, and in the context menu select "Distinctive Attributes."
A screen titled "Distinctive Attributes of" (name of species that was
highlighted) appears. The number of species with each attribute is listed
on the left hand side of the screen in order of increasing frequency. Those
attributes with a "1" at the left, are possible only for the species named
at the top of the screen. Attributes with a "2" at the left are possible
for the species named and for one additional species from the species list,
and so on. This screen should be thought of as containing features the
species MAY have. These features are not necessarily mandatory. For example,
a plant species may have white flowers and blue flowers; the blue flowers
could be a unique feature, but your specimen might only have white flowers.
If your specimen had blue flowers, however, this screen would have provided
a good clue.
Compress the Menu Structure tree, and click the yellow paintbrush icon
to clear all marks in the menus.
Eliminating Species
of Your Choice
Expand the Menu Structure, then "General", then "Spines
or Thorns".
Double click "Spines on leaves and/or stems".
Assume you know the specimen you are trying to identify is NOT prairie
wild rose or teasel.
Highlight each of these species and click the blue "X" button on the
tool bar to eliminate those species from consideration. This leaves an
X mark to the left of each of these species, and moves them into the alphabetized
list of eliminated species below the those remaining. Eliminating species
in this manner can be very helpful. Now if you were to click "Analysis",
the suggestions provided will be different than they would have been, since
the program now tells you how to distinguish between only those that have
NOT been eliminated.
Click the check mark ("Marked & Eliminated") icon on the tool bar.
This brings up a list of the attribute marks made, and below it the images
of those species that have been marked as eliminated. Clicking on one of
these images calls up a context menu that will find the species name on
the species list, toggle the species back from being eliminated, or access
descriptive information.
Contract the Menu Structure tree and clear all marks using the brush
icon.
Return to User's Guide Contents
Expand Menu Structure, then "Leaves", and "Leaf arrangement".
Right-click "All basal", and select "Report".
A description and image of a plant with all basal leaves is displayed.
If the entire screen is not visible you may use the scroll bars or drag
the window divider to the left to enlarge the window .
Right click on the menu title "Leaf Arrangement" and click "Report".
The image that appears allows you to compare all of the different leaf
arrangements. You can move the split line to the left or scroll the image
if it is not all viewable.
Right-click on any species name in the list, then click
"Description". If the dialog box allowing you to select the information
you wish to have presented for that species does not appear, it is because
the "Don't show..." box is checked in "Options, "Species Description".
This screen gives you general information about the species which was
highlighted. A picture of the species may be displayed, as well as descriptive
information, the name of the image file name for the species, the attribute
data that has been entered in the database, and a list of references with
page numbers for further information on the species.
Right-clicking on a species name in the list can also allow you to
eliminate the species or show its distinctive attributes in comparison
to the other remaining species. This feature does not work for species
that have been eliminated by attribute marking or the "Eliminate" function.
Return to User's Guide Contents
No matter where you are in the program, selecting "Help"
from the program "Help" menu at the top of the screen, provides you with
detailed help that explains how to use the XID software.
Click the "X" button in the upper right corner to close the Program
Help.
If you are sure your specimen has an attribute that is
not in a menu (but the menu appears, with other attributes), your species
might not be in the database, or the author may have chosen not to include
that attribute. It is also possible that we may have made an error in the
plant data. Each key includes thousands of data entries. If you believe
you have found an error, please contact us, and
we will correct the error and send you an updated key with our thanks.
In the database, "false" data is used when it will make the program
more efficient for the unskilled user. For example, dandelion is marked
both 5 (the correct answer) and > 10 (the way it looks) in the "Number
of Petals" menu.
Many families have more than one name (i.e., Asteraceae and Compositae),
and either one can be selected in the "Family" menu. To eliminate such
a family, however, both names must be marked as "NO" in the "Family" menu.
Return to User's Guide Contents