Increasing Efficiency of Taxonomic Studies and Practices: An Interactive Key of Chinese Orchidaceae

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 novel interactive 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.