Reflora publishes new version of Digitization Manual

On December 15, the second version of the Reflora Digitization Manual was published, which describes the entire process of digitizing and publishing botanical samples (exsiccates) developed in the project. The first version was released in 2018.

In the Manual, interested parties will find, among other things, equipment specifications and configurations, care in managing the exsiccates for digitization, step-by-step instructions for setting up the photographic stations and for digitization - all explained in detail and with illustrations. Researcher Rafaela Campostrini Forzza, one of the authors of the publication, recalls that many things have changed since the digitization work began and now the equipment is more modern, making it necessary to update the Manual.

One of the main new features is that this new version also includes instructions on how to use Jabot Image to manage and capture the images. "We hope this will make life much easier for national herbaria using the Jabot platform. Previously we used an image management and capture system developed in the USA, but this was discontinued. To solve the problem, Jabot Image was developed by the IT team at the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden and the new version of the Reflora Manual explains how to use it," says Rafaela. 

Reflora is a CNPq initiative created in 2010 with the aim of rescuing, digitizing and making available images of botanical specimens (exsiccates) collected in Brazil between the 18th and 20th centuries, most of which were deposited in herbaria abroad. With funding from MCTIC, CAPES, various FAPs and the companies Vale and Natura, the Reflora Virtual Herbarium was launched in 2013, bringing together images from the collections of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew (K) in England, the National Museum of Natural History in Paris (P) and the Botanical Gardens of Rio de Janeiro (RB), the institution coordinating the project.

Since 2014, with the support of the Brazilian Biodiversity Information System (SiBBr) and the National Forest Inventory (IFN), Reflora has expanded the number of foreign herbarium partners to include other Brazilian herbaria. In 2023, with support from CNPq, the project will continue its partnership with the herbarium of the Natural History Museum in Vienna (W) and new partner herbaria in Brazil. In this way, HV Reflora completes its first decade with more than 4 million images of plants digitized and made available to the public online.