Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN)

Luc Brouillet

doi:10.5886/zw3aqw

Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN)

Citation

Brouillet L (2024). Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN). Version 37.15. Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.5886/zw3aqw accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-15.

Description

The Database of Vascular Plants of Canada or VASCAN (http://data.canadensys.net/vascan) is a comprehensive and curated checklist of all vascular plants reported in Canada, Greenland (Denmark), and Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France). VASCAN was developed at the Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre and is maintained by a group of editors and contributors. For every core taxon in the checklist (species, subspecies, or variety), VASCAN provides the accepted scientific name, the accepted French and English vernacular names, and their synonyms/alternatives in Canada, as well as the distribution status (native, introduced, ephemeral, excluded, extirpated, doubtful or absent) of the plant for each province or territory, and the habit (tree, shrub, herb and/or vine) of the plant in Canada. For reported hybrids (nothotaxa or hybrid formulas) VASCAN also provides the hybrid parents, except if the parents of the hybrid do not occur in Canada. All taxa are linked to a classification. VASCAN refers to a source for all name, classification and distribution information. All data have been released to the public domain under a CC0 waiver and are available through Canadensys and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). VASCAN is a service to the scientific community and the general public, including administrations, companies, and non-governmental organizations.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

See the section 'Geographic coverage' and 'Project details - Study area description'.

Sampling

The data are sampled manually from literature by the editors,though recent additions are based on specimens maintained at institutional herbaria across Canada (see Thiers). All floras covering Canada, Greenland, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon were considered for literature-based data entry, but only the most recent provincial and territorial floras (see the section 'Citations - Bibliography') were systematically searched to establish the distribution status of each taxon in each region (see the section 'Geographic coverage'). Scoggan’s Flora of Canada (1978-1979) was systematically searched, as were Kartesz (1999) and the Flora of North America (FNA Ed. Comm. 1993+). English and French vernacular names are based on usage in Canada and, for introduced taxa, on vernaculars from the countries of origin (when the taxon is from Europe). Alternate (synonym) vernaculars are provided when several names are in usage (notably regional names), but an accepted vernacular is recommended for general usage throughout the country. The method of selection of vernacular names follows Darbyshire et al. (2000). The source of the information is referenced for all scientific names, vernacular names and distributions in the dataset.

Quality Control

New findings or corrections for plant distributions are communicated to the editors by contributors from each region (http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/about/#people). Contributors are local botanists, often associated with Canadian herbaria or Conservation Data Centers. All new reports must be documented by specimens deposited at institutional herbaria. Suggestions or corrections regarding names, taxonomy, or functionality of the VASCAN website are submitted by users and reviewers through a public GitHub issue tracker at https://github.com/Canadensys/vascan-data/issues. Name suggestions are validated by the editors against names in Tropicos (http://www.tropicos.org), IPNI (http://www.ipni.org), GRIN (http://www.ars-grin.gov), or other plant name databases, before being manually corrected in the database.

Method steps

The data are stored in a relational database (MySQL), which powers the search, checklist builder, taxon and name pages of the VASCAN website. Editors update a development copy of the database through a secure web application. This allows them to make revisions without affecting the users of the website. Once they agree that the data are consistent, in which they are aided by the application, they can push that version of the database to production. At that moment, the application will also automatically generate a Darwin Core Archive of the data, using the GBIF GNA Profile (GBIF 2010) and following best practices for publishing checklists (GBIF 2011). This archive includes all data, except for calculated distributions, hybrid parents, and user credentials. The archive is then manually uploaded to the Canadensys Repository (http://data.canadensys.net/ipt), a GBIF Integrated Publishing Toolkit, and republished, at which time it will be assigned a new version number. The dataset is registered with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), which allows that organization to harvest, display and distribute the data at any time.

Additional info

The data paper for this dataset is also available on GitHub at https://github.com/peterdesmet/vascan-data-paper.

Taxonomic Coverages

This checklist covers all vascular plants (Equisetopsida, Tracheophyta) reported in the area described in the section 'Geographic Coverage'. The core taxa considered are species, subspecies or varieties, and their hybrids. For these taxa, we provide synonyms, the accepted and alternative French and English vernacular names, and the habit (tree, shrub, herb and/or vine) of the plant in Canada. For reported hybrids (nothotaxa or hybrid formulas) we also indicate the hybrid parents, except if the parents of the hybrid do not occur in Canada. This core information is not provided for higher taxa, although the calculated distribution based on lower taxa can be consulted and downloaded from the VASCAN website (http://data.canadensys.net/vascan). All taxa are linked to a classification: Chase & Reveal (2009) for the higher classification, Christenhusz et al. (2011a) for lycophytes, Smith et al. (2006) for monilophytes (modified in Rothfells et al. 2012), Christenhusz et al. (2011b) for the gymnosperms, and the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009) for flowering plants. At the generic level and below, the Flora of North America Editorial Committee (1993+) is the main source of classification, unless taxonomic literature more recent than the volume published for a given taxon provides a taxonomy more reflective of current data. The source used is indicated for each taxon in the dataset. The classification includes 16 ranks. They are, in hierarchical order: class, subclass, superorder, order, family, subfamily, tribe, subtribe, genus, subgenus, section, subsection, series, species, subspecies and variety. Varieties within subspecies are accepted, so quadrinomial names are present, but forms are not included.

Plantae
common name: plants rank: kingdom
Equisetopsida
common name: vascular plants rank: class
Acanthaceae
rank: family
Acoraceae
rank: family
Adoxaceae
rank: family
Alismataceae
rank: family
Amaranthaceae
rank: family
Amaryllidaceae
rank: family
Anacardiaceae
rank: family
Annonaceae
rank: family
Apiaceae
rank: family
Apocynaceae
rank: family
Aquifoliaceae
rank: family
Araceae
rank: family
Araliaceae
rank: family
Aristolochiaceae
rank: family
Asparagaceae
rank: family
Aspleniaceae
rank: family
Asteraceae
rank: family
Athyriaceae
rank: family
Balsaminaceae
rank: family
Berberidaceae
rank: family
Betulaceae
rank: family
Bignoniaceae
rank: family
Blechnaceae
rank: family
Boraginaceae
rank: family
Brassicaceae
rank: family
Butomaceae
rank: family
Buxaceae
rank: family
Cabombaceae
rank: family
Cactaceae
rank: family
Campanulaceae
rank: family
Cannabaceae
rank: family
Caprifoliaceae
rank: family
Caryophyllaceae
rank: family
Celastraceae
rank: family
Ceratophyllaceae
rank: family
Cistaceae
rank: family
Cleomaceae
rank: family
Clethraceae
rank: family
Colchicaceae
rank: family
Commelinaceae
rank: family
Convolvulaceae
rank: family
Cornaceae
rank: family
Crassulaceae
rank: family
Cucurbitaceae
rank: family
Cupressaceae
rank: family
Cyperaceae
rank: family
Cystopteridaceae
rank: family
Dennstaedtiaceae
rank: family
Diapensiaceae
rank: family
Dioscoreaceae
rank: family
Droseraceae
rank: family
Dryopteridaceae
rank: family
Elaeagnaceae
rank: family
Elatinaceae
rank: family
Equisetaceae
rank: family
Ericaceae
rank: family
Eriocaulaceae
rank: family
Euphorbiaceae
rank: family
Fabaceae
rank: family
Fagaceae
rank: family
Frankeniaceae
rank: family
Gentianaceae
rank: family
Geraniaceae
rank: family
Grossulariaceae
rank: family
Haemodoraceae
rank: family
Haloragaceae
rank: family
Hamamelidaceae
rank: family
Hydrangeaceae
rank: family
Hydrocharitaceae
rank: family
Hymenophyllaceae
rank: family
Hypericaceae
rank: family
Hypoxidaceae
rank: family
Iridaceae
rank: family
Isoetaceae
rank: family
Juglandaceae
rank: family
Juncaceae
rank: family
Juncaginaceae
rank: family
Lamiaceae
rank: family
Lauraceae
rank: family
Lentibulariaceae
rank: family
Liliaceae
rank: family
Limnanthaceae
rank: family
Linaceae
rank: family
Linderniaceae
rank: family
Loasaceae
rank: family
Loranthaceae
rank: family
Lycopodiaceae
rank: family
Lythraceae
rank: family
Magnoliaceae
rank: family
Malvaceae
rank: family
Marsileaceae
rank: family
Martyniaceae
rank: family
Melanthiaceae
rank: family
Melastomataceae
rank: family
Menispermaceae
rank: family
Menyanthaceae
rank: family
Molluginaceae
rank: family
Montiaceae
rank: family
Moraceae
rank: family
Myricaceae
rank: family
Nartheciaceae
rank: family
Nelumbonaceae
rank: family
Nyctaginaceae
rank: family
Nymphaeaceae
rank: family
Oleaceae
rank: family
Onagraceae
rank: family
Onocleaceae
rank: family
Ophioglossaceae
rank: family
Orchidaceae
rank: family
Orobanchaceae
rank: family
Osmundaceae
rank: family
Oxalidaceae
rank: family
Paeoniaceae
rank: family
Papaveraceae
rank: family
Penthoraceae
rank: family
Phrymaceae
rank: family
Phytolaccaceae
rank: family
Pinaceae
rank: family
Plantaginaceae
rank: family
Platanaceae
rank: family
Plumbaginaceae
rank: family
Poaceae
rank: family
Podostemaceae
rank: family
Polemoniaceae
rank: family
Polygalaceae
rank: family
Polygonaceae
rank: family
Polypodiaceae
rank: family
Pontederiaceae
rank: family
Portulacaceae
rank: family
Potamogetonaceae
rank: family
Primulaceae
rank: family
Pteridaceae
rank: family
Ranunculaceae
rank: family
Resedaceae
rank: family
Rhamnaceae
rank: family
Rosaceae
rank: family
Rubiaceae
rank: family
Ruppiaceae
rank: family
Rutaceae
rank: family
Salicaceae
rank: family
Salviniaceae
rank: family
Santalaceae
rank: family
Sapindaceae
rank: family
Sarraceniaceae
rank: family
Saururaceae
rank: family
Saxifragaceae
rank: family
Scheuchzeriaceae
rank: family
Schizaeaceae
rank: family
Scrophulariaceae
rank: family
Selaginellaceae
rank: family
Simaroubaceae
rank: family
Smilacaceae
rank: family
Solanaceae
rank: family
Staphyleaceae
rank: family
Tamaricaceae
rank: family
Taxaceae
rank: family
Thelypteridaceae
rank: family
Thymelaeaceae
rank: family
Tofieldiaceae
rank: family
Typhaceae
rank: family
Ulmaceae
rank: family
Urticaceae
rank: family
Verbenaceae
rank: family
Violaceae
rank: family
Vitaceae
rank: family
Woodsiaceae
rank: family
Xanthorrhoeaceae
rank: family
Xyridaceae
rank: family
Zosteraceae
rank: family
Zygophyllaceae
rank: family
Actinidiaceae
rank: family
Diplaziopsidaceae
rank: family
Phyllanthaceae
rank: family

Geographic Coverages

The checklist covers all vascular plants reported in Canada, Greenland (Denmark), and Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France). The latter two regions are added because their floras are intimately related to that of Canada and it is useful for Canadians and others to know about them. Provincial distributions are provided to help Canadians visualize the relationship among the floras of their provinces and territories. VASCAN does not intend to replace regional or provincial lists but to act as a complement to them. The covered regions are, in alphabetical order: Alberta, British Columbia, Greenland, Labrador, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saskatchewan, and Yukon. The distribution status of the plant is indicated per region. These can be grouped as present (native, introduced or ephemeral), previously reported but currently considered absent (excluded, extirpated), doubtful or not reported (absent). The latter status is not recorded in the database (null value). Excluded taxa are those considered not currently occurring in a region, due either to non-recurring ephemeralness, misidentification, lack of supporting documentation, or when specimens are old and the taxon has not been observed again in more than 50 years. All distribution statuses are defined at http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/about/#distribution. The VASCAN website (http://data.canadensys.net/vascan) provides a distribution map for each taxon. For higher taxa, these are calculated based on lower taxa, with the distribution statuses ordered as such: native, introduced, ephemeral, excluded, extirpated, doubtful, absent. E.g., if two species within the same genus are respectively native and doubtful in a certain region, the genus is considered native for that region. The website also provides a checklist builder (http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/checklist), where users can generate their own list of taxa based on several criteria (taxonomy, region, distribution status, or a combination of these) and download this as a Darwin Core Archive or text file.

Bibliographic Citations

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Christenhusz MJM, Reveal JL, Farjon A, Gardner MF, Mill RR, Chase MW (2011a) A new classification and linear sequence of extant gymnosperms. Phytotaxa 19: 55–70. - http://www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/content/2011/f/pt00019p070.pdf
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Contacts

Luc Brouillet
originator
position: Professor
Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre
4101 rue Sherbrooke est
Montreal
H1X2B2
Quebec
CA
email: luc.brouillet@umontreal.ca
homepage: http://www.irbv.umontreal.ca/luc-brouillet

Luc Brouillet
metadata author
position: Professor
Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre
4101 rue Sherbrooke est
Montreal
H1X2B2
Quebec
CA
email: luc.brouillet@umontreal.ca
homepage: http://www.irbv.umontreal.ca/luc-brouillet

Luc Brouillet
editor
position: Professor
Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre
4101 rue Sherbrooke est
Montreal
H1X2B2
Quebec
CA
email: luc.brouillet@umontreal.ca
homepage: http://www.irbv.umontreal.ca/luc-brouillet

Frédéric Coursol
editor
Montreal Botanical Garden
4101 rue Sherbrooke est
Montreal
H1X2B2
Quebec
CA
email: frederic.coursol@ville.montreal.qc.ca

Susan Meades
editor
position: Director
Northern Ontario Plant Database
c/o Herbarium, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, 1219 Queen Ste. East
Sault Ste. Marie
P6A2E5
Ontario
CA
email: herbaria@nrcan.gc.ca
homepage: http://www.northernontarioflora.ca

Marc Favreau
editor
position: Translator and Language Advisor
Translation Bureau (Government of Canada)
Place Bonaventure, Northwest Entrance, Suite 8950
Montreal
H5A1K6
Quebec
CA
email: marc.favreau@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Marilyn Anions
editor
position: Director of Science
NatureServe Canada
960 Carling Avenue
Ottawa
K1A0C6
Ontario
CA
email: manions@natureserve.ca

Jérémy Goimard
programmer
position: Biodiversity Informatics Programmer
Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre
4101 rue Sherbrooke est
Montreal
H1X2B2
Quebec
CA
email: canadensys.network@gmail.com

Carole Sinou
publisher
position: Research Officer in Biodiversity
Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre
4101 Sherbrooke est
Montreal
H1X2B2
Quebec
CA
email: canadensys.network@gmail.com

Luc Brouillet
administrative point of contact
position: Professor
Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre
4101 rue Sherbrooke est
Montreal
H1X2B2
Quebec
CA
email: luc.brouillet@umontreal.ca
homepage: http://www.irbv.umontreal.ca/luc-brouillet