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 LICHCOL: database of the lichen herbarium at B
Origin and content
Since 1986 label production for the lichen herbarium
at the BGBM is computerized using database programs. The corresponding electronic
files have been stored, and brought together in a database called LICHCOL. This has been augmented with data from earlier collections,
depending on the availability of suitable notes for easy data intake and depending on current research interests. In addition, data
files from acquired collections have been included, when available.
Currently LICHCOL contains data sets for some 90.000 lichen specimens available in B, and comprises about 4000 species from 90 countries.
These figures mean that about 25% of the lichen herbarium is covered. Countries particularly well represented include Brazil, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Germany, Papua New Guinea, Venezuela. Added are some 13,000 non-lichenized FUNGI.
Properties and peculiarities
In order to facilitate import of data sets, LICHCOL has a flat structure. Apart from the usual information of herbarium labels, it
stores information on previous identifications, which serves the retrieval of redetermined specimens, and on accessory species
present in the specimen, like lichenicolous fungi. LICHCOL is a "rough" collection of information. The nomenclature is not uniform
and the country attribution may not reflect the current political situation. Some determinations are provisional and incomplete or
may turn out to be erroneous. The number of fields in the database is limited, and there is, e.g., no separate field for elevation.
Other fields are inconsistently filled, because they were added at a
later stage, e.g the fields for the coordinates. Still the great
majority of the data sets can be retrieved easily. No special efforts
were made to enter type specimens or exsiccata in the database.
Access. The present website intends to make the data available for taxonomists searching for specimens from specified groups,
areas or collecting years,
for copying of label information into manuscripts, and for checking
reidentifications of duplicates deposited in B. Those
needing further queries are welcome to contact the curator.
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