Australian Plant Census facts for kids

The Australian Plant Census (APC) is an online tool that helps people find the correct scientific names for all the plants that grow naturally in Australia. Think of it like a big, official dictionary for Australian plants! It's part of a larger government system called the Integrated Biodiversity Information System (IBIS).

The Australian National Herbarium, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the Australian Biological Resources Study, and the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria all work together to manage this important system.

What is the Australian Plant Census?

The Australian Plant Census (APC) shows you the official scientific names of plants. It also lists other names that might have been used in the past, or names that were used incorrectly. This helps scientists and plant lovers know exactly which plant they are talking about.

What Information Can You Find?

• Correct Plant Names: The most up-to-date scientific names for plants.
• Other Names: It lists old names or names that are no longer used (called synonyms).
• Where Plants Grow: You can see which Australian states or territories a plant is found in.

The APC also connects to other helpful online tools. For example, you can click on a plant name to go to the Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). This gives even more details about the name. You can also find links to the Australian Plant Image Index (APII)] to see pictures of the plants.

Which Plants Are Included?

The APC covers all the native plants that naturally grow in Australia. It also includes plants that were brought to Australia and now grow wild (these are called naturalised plants). It even includes plants found on Australia's offshore islands.

However, it does not include plants that are only grown in gardens or farms unless they have started growing wild outside of cultivation.

How Plants Are Grouped

The way plants are grouped into families in the APC follows a system called the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III system. This system was updated in 2009 and helps scientists understand how different plant groups are related to each other.

See also

In Spanish: Australian Plant Census para niños