Diversity map for genus Helianthus	Distribution of collected samples
Color Key (number of species in county): 1-2  3-4  5-6  7-8  9-10	Color key: University of Texas Plant Resources Center Texas A&M S.M. Tracy Herbarium Botanical Research Institute of Texas Texas A&M University Biology Department Southwest Texas State University Biology Department Sam Houston State University S.R. Warner Herbarium  U.T. El Paso Centennial Museum Herbarium

This early prototype site depicts species diversity via overlaid species distributions of the Sunflower genus (Helianthus) across Texas (left), as determined by specimen records from seven FTC member institutions.  Selection of a given species will produce a mapped display (right), using color codes unique to each contributing herbarium, of source material.  The 'source' maps can be manipulated by the user and selection of a given county will produce a listing of source herbaria.

While the species diversity map (left) provides a rough and probably accurate indication that the genus is most diverse in the east, it is clear that combined specimen data from this group of Texas collections, which include the largest, is not sufficient to provide a clear view of species diversity.  This project demonstrated that data from all Texas herbaria will be important.  Inclusion of material housed at Angelo State University will, for instance, provide a significant set of county records that are simply not available elsewhere.

It is also clear that systems expressing  these types of diversity 'overlay' maps can be used in the future to identify those parts of the state in need of floristic work.  Since diversity mapping will eventually be based on combined FTC herbarium data, it will allow efficient progress toward full documentation of the Texas flora via addition of needed county records.  The ability of this type of system to detect Texas counties that lack documentation could allow the FTC to mediate development of county records by web-based outreach to all with an interest iin the Texas flora, especially High School instructors, students, and amateurs in those parts of the state that need documentation. Since the Internet provides open access to this type of information, scientists now have a unique opportunity to enlist the public in the data gathering enterprise.  Thus, work proposed here could provide a foundation for establishing a broader interactive environment that would allow new county records to be established by anyone with Internet access and an interest in the Texas flora or systematic botany in general.