Explore plants
Overview→ Families→ Genera→ Species
Choose a classification level
Start with a family, follow a genus and compare individual species. Every record connects back to its classification so that you can move between the three levels without losing your place.
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Families: four selected groups — Related genera belong to a family.
Start with Dipterocarpaceae. Follow the linked classification to continue exploring.
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Genera: two from each family — Each genus connects a family to its species.
Follow the genus Vatica. Follow the linked classification to continue exploring.
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Species: sixteen illustrated records — Compare individual plants using scientific names.
Read the Vatica rassak record. Follow the linked classification to continue exploring.
This example shows Vatica rassak, a member of Dipterocarpaceae.
Botanical source: NParks.
Using the guide responsibly
You can begin a useful observation without knowing a plant's name. First record what you can see, then compare the evidence with a reliable description. Our collection deliberately includes four families, two genera from each family and two species from each genus. These numbers describe this learning website, not the total diversity of the groups. Follow the classification links to move between a broad group and a particular plant.
A reference photograph may show a leaf, a fruit or a preserved specimen. It cannot show every feature of a living tree. Read the caption and the linked botanical record before drawing a conclusion. The regional location in a record describes a published distribution; it does not necessarily identify where the photograph was taken. A cultivated plant can also occur outside its native range. Keep these distinctions in your notes.
Record an observation
- Photograph the whole plant and its surroundings from a safe, permitted position.
- Add close views of leaves and any visible flowers or fruit without collecting them.
- Write the date, general location and features you actually observed.
- Compare the sources and ask for help if the evidence is incomplete.
Classification terms
- Family
- A group containing related genera.
- Genus
- A group within a family; its name forms the first part of a species name.
- Species
- The level represented here by a two-part scientific name.
Naming reference: International Association for Plant Taxonomy. The observation workflow is original project guidance.
Classification reference
The rows show the selected species, grouped by family and genus. Botanical references are linked beside each species description.