与传统的连续检索表相比,基于计算机等数字终端的多通道交互式检索表具有很多优势,如易于携带、实时更新、界面直观、使用方便、用户广泛、产生新数据集且便于研究以及能够推动分类学知识的普及等。本文以兰科植物为例介绍了交互式检索表的特点、程序建立和应用。兰科植物是生物多样性保育的旗舰类群,具有很强的观赏和药用价值,但中国兰科植物种类繁多,分类困难。我们在自主研发交互式检索表软件MagIden的基础上,以《中国植物志》和Flora of China的描述为依据,制作了中国兰科植物交互式电子检索表,为分类学研究者和爱好者提供了一个新的、鉴定中国兰科植物的中英文双语工具;同时,交互式检索表生成的MVSP和Bayes形态特征数据集可用于聚类分析和分支分类学研究。交互式检索表在数据积累、更新和分析利用等方面具有独特的优势,是提高传统植物分类学研究与应用效率的重要工具。
Compared with conventional identification keys,computer-based multi-access interactive keys have many advantages,e.g.easy to carry,update,identify,generate new data sets for additional scientific studies,promote dissemination of taxonomic knowledge and meet the needs of social development,as well as being straightforward,with a wide range of users.It is important for taxonomic researchers to develop Chinese interactive keys for identification of native plants.This study introduced characteristics,development and application of interactive keys for Chinese Orchidaceae.The family Orchidaceae is a flagship group for biodiversity conservation and other biological studies,including many species with medicinal and ornamental value.However,it is difficult to identify orchids because Orchidaceae are one of the largest plant families in China and worldwide.By referring to Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae and Flora of China,we created an interactive key for Chinese orchids using the new self-developed program MagIden.This novelinteractive key not only provides a powerful identification tool of Chinese orchids for researchers and the public,but also generates new data sets in MVSP and Bayesian format for further scientific studies.Interactive keys are a powerful tool for increasing the efficiency of taxonomic studies and identification because of their advantages in the collection,updating,and analysis of data.