Development of an Interactive Database to the Species of Philippine Mussaenda (Rubiaceae)

Abstract

An illustrated database of the 27 (including three varieties) Philippine species of Mussaenda was developed using the DELTA format and translated to an interactive key. The database, based on field observations and herbarium specimens, comprises more than 200 characters from which detailed descriptions of habit and both vegetative and reproductive parts were drawn. Full illustrations of important characters and each taxon (including field and type specimens) as well as key to the species, phenology, distribution maps, vouchers of specimen examined, discussion, and internal transcribed spacer (nrDNA) sequence are also associated with this database. The interactive identification uses 146 characters, the flower morphology and type of external indumentum score with the highest character reliabilities. The database is available at http://www.uni-bayreuth.de/ departments/planta2/wgl/delta_ru/index.html.