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Proposed photographic standards: Herbaceous angiosperms

For background and rationale, see Baskauf, S.J. and B.K. Kirchoff (2008) Digital plant images as specimens: toward standards for photographing living plants.  Vulpina 7:16-30.

A. Whole plant

1. juvenile
Images of seedlings or larger plants without flowers helps users to recognize the plant during parts of the year when the plants are not blooming.

2. in flower
It is beneficial from the standpoint of rapid visual recognition to have images of both individual plants and the plants in their habitat or en masse. 

3. in fruit

B. Stem

1. showing orientation of leaf bases or petioles (vertical orientation)

C. Leaf
Unlike woody plants where leaves are usually similar in all parts of the plant, herb leaves can frequently vary greatly depending on whether they are located near the base of the stem or higher up on the plant.  Photographing both types of leaves helps to capture the within-plant variation among leaves.  The orientation (apex up or down) is intended to reflect the way the leaf typically appears as it is seen by a viewer from above. 

1. basal leaves, or leaves on the lower stem, with apex down

2. on the upper stem, with the apex up

3. margin of upper surface of leaf; part of the lower surface of another leaf with major veins visible should be shown behind the upper surface

D. Inflorescence and flower. If imperfect, flowers of both sexes.

1. whole inflorescence

2. lateral view of flower

3. frontal view of flower

4. ventral view of flower showing perianth
In the case of composites, the ventral view will show bracts. 

5. if the flower is large, a close-up of its interior
In the case of composites, the closeup view will show individual disk or ray flowers.

E. Fruit

1. as borne on the plant

2. lateral view

3. cross section of fruit, or open fruit if dehiscent

4. seeds

5. young fruit
These images can show developing fruit or fruit that is not ripe.

Images (c) Steven J. Baskauf - click on link for info on individual images.