How to optimize your TNRS search
While we have designed the TNRS to handle most botanical data formats found
in most datasets there are a few precautions you can take to increase the
probability that the TNRS correctly matches your name.
(1) Make sure that the first letter of each genus name is capitalized
(2) Make sure that all epithets (specific, subspecific, etc.) are lowercase.
In the second example below, the incorrectly capitalized epithet "Rubra" prevents
the name from matching to species.
(3) Try submitting names without the authors
In the example below, the difference in spelling between the author of the name
submitted and the name matched lowers the overall match score, relative to
submitting the name alone, without the author string.
Be careful, however. Including the author of a name can sometimes increase
match accuracy, especially if homonyms exist (the same name used by different
authors to refer to different species). In the example below, the name returned by
default for the Campylopus, without the author, is the accepted genus
Campylopus Brid., a moss. This is fine if the moss was the intended meaning.
However, Campylopus was also later (and incorrectly) used by the author Spach
to refer to a genus of trees in the family Clusiaceae. Even though the second
name is an illegitimate posterior homonym, it clearly refers to the tree and not the
moss; including the author preserves the intended meaning. Note that including
the family with the name will also distinguish between homonyms in different
families (see recommendation 6).
(4) Currently the TNRS does not fuzzy match hybrid names. If a submitted
hybrid name is mispelled, the TNRS will not find it.
In the example below, the first name is spelled correctly; the second name is not.
(5) While the TNRS automatically strips out odd characters
(punctuation, underscores_, +, % # etc.) that are not used in
botanical nomenclature, names that include many such
characters produce in lower match scores, potentially
preventing the TNRS from discovering the correct name. Try to
strip unwanted characters before submitting names
Note the effect of submitting misspelled names with and without odd
characters:
(6) When possible, we recommend setting "Constrain best match by higher
taxonomy" to ON and including family in front of the name submitted. In
most cases, constraining matches by higher taxonomy provides better
results by preventing misspelled genera from being matched to unrelated
genera in other families.
In the example below, the genus of the fig tree Ficus insipida is misspelled,
producing a better match to the genus Fucus, a marine algae. Submitting the
family Moraceae along with the name prevents this mismatch.
Be aware, however, that the higher taxonomic constraint will sometimes prevent
matching to the correct name if the genus is badly mispelled. For example, you
are looking for the species "Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus" but misspelled it
as "Acanthopappus sphaerocephalus". With higher taxonomic constraint ON, the
TNRS will return the genus "Acanthocarpus" as the best match—the closest
spelling to your misspelled genus " Acanthopappus". With higher taxonomic
constraint OFF, the TNRS matches "Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus", the
closest overall spelling match, and your intended name. Sometimes it is best to
run you list both ways—once with taxonomic constraint ON and once with
taxonomic constraint OFF—and compare the results.
(7) Try lowering the match score threshold
Sometimes a badly misspelled name that doesn't return a result at a match
threshold of 0.40 will return a match if you set the threshold to 0.05.
(8) Inspect your results!
It is especially important you inspect results flagged with warnings or names with
more than one possible match. Names with more than one match with have the
hyperlinked words "(+x more)" after the name matched ("x" is the number of
additional possible matches). Click on the hyperlink to see a list of all possible
matches. Sometimes your intended name will be a lower-ranked match. This is
especially important if you have set higher taxonomic constraint to ON.