Subject Research Guides   University of West Florida Libraries

BOTANY

Books

There are many sub-disciplines within the field of botany. Library resources are organized by the Library of Congress subject classification system. Books on botany are located on the third floor of the library under the QK call number

Reference Guides

Guide to Information Sources in the Botanical Sciences. 1996. (Ref. QK 45.2 D3 1996)

This survey of information sources on all aspects of botany, excluding agriculture, horticulture, and gardening is also available through  NetLibrary

Information Sources in the Life Sciences. 1997. (Ref. QH 303.6 I54 1997)

A guide to selected sources of biological information including libraries, journals, newsletters, and monographs

Using the Biological Literature: A Practical Guide. 2002. (Ref. QH 303.6 D39 2002)

This comprehensive annotated guide to the biological literature is arranged by broad subject chapters and includes historical sources as well as textbooks.

Databases

Databases identify journal articles, books, conference proceedings, reports, and other materials. Databases may be searched individually or in categorized groups via Metalib. If you are searching for a journal title, look it up in the Online Catalog or the CitationLinker, SFX. If we do not own, or have access to, a journal you need, you may request it from Interlibrary Loan. If you are unsure about the quality of the journals you are using, consult the online tutorial, Scholarly Journals vs. Popular Magazines.

The most frequently used botany databases are:

Agricola. 1970-  (Cambridge)

AGRICOLA is an index to journal articles, monographs, proceedings, theses, patents, translations, audiovisual materials, computer software, and technical reports pertaining to all aspects of agriculture.

BIOSIS.  1970-  (DataStar) and BasicBIOSIS.  Current Five Years - (FirstSearch)

This online database is the computerized version of Biological Abstracts (1927-1995, Periodicals QH 301 B37). The online version contains over 10.5 million records from over 6,000 journals and monographs. BasicBIOSIS is a condensed version of BIOSIS, provides indexing to 375 core life science journals, and is updated weekly. Explanations of abbreviations of serial titles used in these indexes may be found in BIOSIS Serials Sources (Ref. Desk QH 301 S585). A current list of journals indexed in BIOSIS may be found at  http://www.thomsonscientific.com/cgi-bin/jrnlst/jloptions.cgi?PC=BP.

Biological & Agricultural Index. 1983-  (WilsonWeb)

Indexes 226 key English language periodicals in biology and agriculture. Does not include government and research facilities' publications. It is also available in print 1916-1982 (Ref. S 1 B5). Published 1916-1964 as Agricultural Index.

Biology Digest.  1989-  (Cambridge)

Over 300 journals from all areas of the life sciences are indexed in this database which is oriented toward undergraduate research. It includes comprehensive abstracts.

Cambridge Scientific Abstracts.  (Cambridge Scientific Abstracts)

This database service provides access to over 70 Cambridge Scientific databases. Searches may be conducted by database categories, or within selected databases. The database categories related to botany include: Agricola, Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management, Geo Ref, Plant Science, and Water Resources.

Ecology Abstracts (Cambridge Scientific Abstracts)

An index to ecology research covering topics such as global environmental change, habitats, erosion, land reclamation, and pollution. economics, and systems analysis as they relate to ecosystems or the environment.

Florida Environments Online (Publication of Archival Library and Museum Materials)

A bibliography of digitally available full text materials about the ecology and environment of Florida. The database includes over 200 books, publications of the Florida Geological Society, and agricultural documents created by the Agricultural Experiment Station/Extension Service (IFAS) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, in addition to engineering documents created by the UF Engineering and Industrial Experiment Station.

Science Direct. 1978- (Elsevier)

Agricultural and biological journals (and other research materials) are indexed in Science Direct. Full text articles are available.

Wiley Interscience - Earth and Environmental Sciences. (Wiley)

Science journals are indexed and articles are provided in full text.

Zoological Record Online. 1978- (DIALOG)

This database provides worldwide coverage of the zoological literature with emphasis on the taxonomic and systematic information of zoology obtained from approximately 6,000 journals. This resources updates Zoological Record. 1864-1948 (Serials Microcard S-48). 1949-1992. (Ref. QL 1 Z7)

Style Manuals

Author's Handbook of Styles for Life Science Journals. 1996. (Ref. R 119 A85 1996)

Presents the style requirements for 440 English-language life science journals

Scientific Style and Format. 1994. (Ref. T 11 S386 1994)

Subtitled "The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers," this guide to publishing style by the Council of Biology Editors is designed for application in all scientific disciplines. Additional information on CBE documentation may be found at  http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocCBE.html.

Dictionaries

Concise Oxford Dictionary of Botany. 1992. (Ref. QK 9 C67 1992) Revised in 1998 as Dictionary of Plant Sciences, 2nd ed.  (NetLibrary)

Defines over 5,000 botanical terms from the various sub-fields of biology. See also:  The Names of Plants (Ref. QK 96 G54 1989), Plant Identification Terminology (Ref. QK 9 H37 1994), and Timber Press Dictionary of Plant Names (Ref. QK 9 C685 1985).

Concise Oxford Dictionary of Ecology. 1994. (Ref. QH 540.4 C66 1994) Revised in 1998 as Dictionary of Ecology, 2nd ed.  (NetLibrary)

A glossary of the concepts and processes related to the study of the interrelationships among organisms

Dictionary of Biology. 2000. (Ref. QH 302.5 D5 2000)

A basic dictionary of the central concepts of biology including terms from human and social biology

Dictionary of Plant Names. 1999. (Ref. QK 9 S337 1999)

Subtitled:  "Over 100,000 Names of about 10,000 Species and Varieties of Flowering Plants and Fern-like Plants in Latin, Russian, English and Chinese (Hieroglyphics and Latin Transliteration)."

Life Science Dictionary

A free Internet dictionary of over 8300 terms in biochemistry, biotechnology, botany, cell biology and genetics.

Encyclopedias

Encyclopedia of Environmental Biology. 3 vols. 1995. (Ref. QH 540.4 E52 1995)

A collection of comprehensive articles on the study of key issues on the environment. Includes a comprehensive subject index in volume 3

Flora of North America: North of Mexico. 2 vols. 1993. (Ref. QK 110 F55 1993)

A two-volume collection of essays on the evolution and distribution of the plant life of North America

Life on Earth, 6th ed. 2 vols. 2002. (Ref. QH 541.15 B56 L54 2002)

Subtitled "An Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution," this source is in an A-Z format with extensive bibliographies and cross references following each article.

Toxic Plants of North America. 2001. (Ref. QK 100 N6 B87 2001)

The chapters are in alphabetical order by plant family, toxic taxa. The detailed text is accompanied by a column which has line drawings, common names, key words, maps, symptoms, and chemical structures. There is an extensive index.

Trees of Florida. 1994. (Ref. QK 154 N44 1994) & FWB

Subtitled: "A Reference and Field Guide," this book describes all of the native and naturalized trees in the state. See also:  International Book of Trees (Ref. QK 475 J56), North American Trees: Exclusive of Mexico and Tropical Florida (Ref. QK 110 P74 1989), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Trees of the World (Ref. QK 475 093),  and Trees of the Southeastern U.S. (Ref. QK 125 D79 1988) & FWB.

Handbooks

Coastal Plants From Cape Cod to Cape Canaveral. 2000. (Ref. QK 122 S78 2000)

Describes with text and color photography, the vascular plants that grow in the coastal habitats from Massachusetts to northern Florida

The Ferns of Florida. 2000. (Ref. QK 525.5 F6 N46 2000)

Subtitled: "A Reference and Field Guide," this book includes an introductory explanation of the fern life cycle, glossary, and classification, followed by a field guide to all known Florida ferns illustrated with 204 color photographs.

Field Guide to Coastal Wetland Plants of the Southeastern United States. 1993. (Ref. QK 125 T55 1993)

Describes the flora of the tidal wetlands with black and white illustrations and taxonomic, habitat, and range of distribution information. See also:  Encyclopedia of Ferns (Ref. SB 429 J66 1987), Smithsonian Guide to Seaside Plants of the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts (Ref. QK 122 D86 1987), and Tidal Marsh Plants (Ref. QK 125 E35 1990).

Guide to Flowering Plant Families. 1994. (Ref. QK 115 Z65 1994)

Provides family descriptions, detailed illustrations and "References Cited"

Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida. 2003. (Ref. QK 154 W865 2003)

A guide to the technologies currently available for the bioremediation of contaminated soil and water.

Guild Handbook of Scientific Illustration. 2003. (Ref. Q 222 G85 2003)

An extensive handbook describing techniques used in scientific illustraion including computer graphics. Includes color and black and white illustrations.

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers. 2 vols. 2001. (Ref. QK 112 N53 2001)

Includes excellent color plates and description information on the wildflowers of the Eastern Region of the United States. See also the society's guide to the Western Region (Ref. QK 112 S66 2001).

Soft Corals and Sea Fans. 2001. (Ref. QL 377 C6 F33 2001)

Subtitled: "A Comprehensive Guide to the Tropical Shallow-Water Genera of the Central-West Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea." Includes excellent color photography.

Wild Flowers of the United States. 6 vols. 1966. (Ref. QK 115 R5)

A classic work with color illustrations and generic and taxonomic nomenclature to the wild flowers of selected regions of the United States. See also:  American Wildflower Florilegium (Ref. QK 112 A43 1992), A Guide to Wildflowers of the Mid-South (Ref. QK 124 S64), The National Wildflower Research Center's Wildflower Handbook (Ref. SB 439 N38 1989), and Wildflowers: A Quick Identification Guide to the Wildflowers of North America (Ref. QK 115 M58 1987).

Internet Sites

American Society of Plant Biologists
http://www.aspb.org/

Biocollections in Botany
http://biocollections.org/lib/listbycat.php/

Biodiversity and Biological Collections
http://biocollections.org

Biotech: Life Sciences Resources
http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu

Cartographic Links for Botanists
http://www.helsinki.fi/~rlampine/cartogr.html

Center for Environmental Diagnostics & Bioremediation
http://uwf.edu/CEDB

Economic and Medicinal Botany Links
http://www.life.umd.edu/emeritus/reveal/PBIO/FindIT/ecmd.html

Galaxy: Biology (Science)
http://www.galaxy.com/directory/14554/

Integrated Taxonomic Information System
http://www.itis.usda.gov/plantproj/itis

International Association for Plant Taxonomy
http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/iapt/index_layer.php"

Internet Directory for Botany
http://www.botany.net/IDB

National Library for the Environment
http://www.cnie.org

Natural Resources Conservation Service
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/"

PLANTS Database
http://plants.usda.gov/"

Scott's Botanical Links
http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx

Tree of Life Web Project
http://tolweb.org/tree/phylogeny.html

USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network
http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/

Contact Information