plantbyplant

Plantbyplant is a collaborative online resource and knowledge base focused on plants, encompassing taxonomy, cultivation, ecology, and horticulture. Described as a wiki-like platform, it relies on community contributions supplemented by expert moderation. The project aims to provide open access plant information, including species profiles, care guides, propagation methods, and ecological notes, with an emphasis on accuracy and verifiability.

Origins and governance: The project began in the mid-2010s, founded by botanists, horticulturists, and educators who sought a freely available, editable reference for both professionals and amateurs. Content is curated by a governance network of editors and subject-matter reviewers. Contributions are versioned, licensed for reuse, and linked to primary sources and taxonomic authorities.

Content and interface: Plant pages typically present the scientific name, common names, geographic distribution, habitat, physical description, and diagnostic features. Care and cultivation sections cover light, water, soil, fertilization, pruning, and pest management, as well as propagation techniques. The platform supports structured data, multilingual translations, and cross-references to external databases and herbarium records.

Community use and impact: Plantbyplant serves hobbyists, students, researchers, and educators seeking quick references or detailed guides. It complements formal databases and classroom activities, and has supported citizen science projects and plant surveys. Challenges include maintaining data accuracy, resolving conflicts between sources, and keeping taxonomy up to date.

Related topics include plant databases, horticultural wikis, open knowledge projects, and botanical education initiatives.