logo Calflora Data Dictionary
Updated February 2, 2023
Output Fields Available in Observation Search and Group Observations

system assigned contributor editable contributor assigned calculated

Accuracy: Square Meters
An estimate of the accuracy of the location coordinates, expressed as an area in square meters. For instance, if the location accuracy is 100 square meters, then the idea is that the real location of the plant is somewhere within that 100 square meter area.

If a record coming in from a GPS device has a error radius value in meters, then this field is set to the area of the implied circle.
Calrecnum
Calflora's plant identification number. For example, the calrecnum of Vaccinium ovatum is 8200.
Survey ID  (AKA Survey #, Collection)
When observation records are attached to a plant survey, the Survey ID field of each observation will contain the record number of the survey. For observation records that are not part of a survey, this field can be used by contributors as a free text way to categorize records.
Common Name
The common name of the plant observed.
County
Full name of a California county e.g. Riverside.
Dataset
The value of this field indicates how the record came into Calflora.
Date  (AKA Observation Date)
Date the plant was observed. Dates are stored in the database in the form YYYY-MM-DD; for example, 2019-12-31.
Datum
WGS84
Distribution Code
A code indicating the distribution of the plant across the landscape.

    CodeValue
    1Single Plant
    TSingle Patch
    2Scattered Plants
    MDense Monoculture
    PScattered Dense Patches
Distribution
A value (from the table above) indicating the distribution of the plant across the landscape.
Elevation (m)
Meters.
Entered by
The name of the person who entered the record.
Error Radius (m)
When GPS devices are used to make observations, the device typically produces an error radius interpreted as the accuracy of the device at the moment the observation was made, in meters. The error radius value from the device is stored in this field, but may be modified later.
From
The observation date plus the name of the contributor.
Genus
The genus part of the scientific plant name.
Geometry Id
If there is a shape (line or polygon) associated with a record, the value of this field will be the ID# of the shape. If there is just a point location acssociated with a record (no shape), the value of this field will be empty.
Gross Area Count
Gross Area: The area of ground covered by the patch, if you drew an imaginary line around the outer boundary of the patch.

The number of units e.g. 15.

Gross Area Units
Acres
Hectares
Square Feet
Square Meters

GrossArea
Gross Area Count and Gross Area Units written together e.g. 15 Square Meters.
Group #
Identifier of the group responsible for the record. 0 indicates no group.
Habitat
The primary habitat type where the plant is growing. Typical habitat values include
  • Forest: Tree-dominated, generally with a closed canopy (e.g., redwood forest, eucalyptus grove)
  • Open Woodland: Tree-dominated, but with open areas between the trees (e.g., oak woodland)
  • Scrub / Shrubland: Shrub-dominated, with few or no trees (e.g., coastal scrub, chaparral)
  • Grassland / Open Field: Grass-dominated, with few to no shrubs or trees
  • Stream bank / bed: The banks or dried bed of a stream, creek or river
  • Wetland: Herbaceous-plant-dominated, with standing water at least part of the year and wetland indicator plants (e.g., cattails, rushes, pickleweed marsh, vernal pool)
  • Open Water: Pond, lake, river, estuary, etc.
  • Beach / Dune: Open sand.
  • Planted (Lawn, crop, etc.): An area purposely planted for agricultural, recreational or ornamental purposes.
Hours
If there are Work Session records associated with this observation record, then this field shows the sum of all the Person Hours values of those records.
ID
The Calflora record identifier.
Index Date
The date the record was added to Calflora.
Infested Area Count
Infested Area: The area of ground covered by the patch if there were no spaces between the plants.

The number of units e.g. 15.

Infested Area Units
Acres
Hectares
Square Feet
Square Meters

InfestedArea
Infested Area Count and Infested Area Units written together e.g. 15 Square Meters.
Large Photo
A full size version of the first photo associated with the record, if any.
Latitude, Longitude
The center of the patch, expressed in decimal latitude and longitude, WGS84 datum.
Location Description
A brief description of where the plant is.
Location Quality
An indication of the supposed accuracy of the point coordinates of a record: high, medium, or low.
See also On Location Quality.
Management Status
    CodeValue
    (empty) found
    v verified
    n searched for but not found
    m under management / treatment
    x extirpated
Modify Date
The date the record was last modified.
Most Recent
This field pertains to records that are linked to each other in a history stack. This will be the record identifier of the most recent record in the stack.
National Ownership
The land owner, manager, or steward.

    CodeValue
    OTH Other / Unknown
    PVLT Private Land Trust
    PVLA Private Landowner
    PBLA Public Land
    CGOV City or County Government
    STAT State Government
    USOT U.S. Government:
    BLM * Bureau of Land Management
    DOD * Department of Defense
    NPS * National Park Service
    USFS * USDA Forest Service
    USFW * United States Fish and Wildlife service
Native Status
    CodeValueExplanation
    1rareCNPS listed
    2native
    3native invasive
    4non-native
    5invasiveCal-IPC listed
Notes
Anything of interest about the plant or the site.
Number of Plants
The number of plants observed. Sometimes this value is a range eg. 50 - 100

Number of Plants Midpoint
If the value of Number of Plants is a range such as 50 - 100, then Number of Plants Midpoint will show the midpoint of the range, or 75.
Observer
The person(s) who observed the plant.
Percent Cover
A specific value (20) or a range of values (25 - 50) followed by the percent sign.
These are the typical value ranges used:
    0 % 0 - 1 % 1 - 5 % 5 - 25 % 25 - 50 % 50 - 75 % 75 - 95 % 95 - 100 %
Percent Cover Midpoint   (AKA NAWMA Percent Cover)
If the value of Percent Cover is a range such as 5 - 25, then Percent Cover Midpoint will show the midpoint of the range, or 15.
Phenology Code
A code indicating the life stage of the plant(s) at time of observation.

    CodeValueExplanation
    S Seedling / rosette Young, non-reproductive growth
    B Bolting When the flowering stalk begins to shoot up in plants with a basal rosette of leaves (thistles or mustards, for example)
    F Flowering In bud or flower
    R Fruiting Setting seed or fruit
    P Sapling A young tree
    D Dead / skeleton Dried/dead plant or dormant perennial
    L Leafing out Producing new leaves (for deciduous perennial plants)
    M Mature A perennial plant NOT in one of the above stages
    M Vegetative same as Mature
Phenology
A value (from the table above) indicating the life stage of the plant(s) at time of observation.
Photo
A thumbnail version of the first photo associated with the record, if any.
Photo URL
The URL (web address) of the first photo associated with the record, if any.
Plant
The scientific name of the plant observed, in the form of a link to the Taxon Report page, plus the common name of the plant.
Region
A region or management unit in which the plant was found.
Root
This field pertains to records that are linked to each other in a history stack. This will be the record identifier of the oldest record in the stack.
Source  (AKA Organization)
The organization(s) responsible for the record.
Species
The species part of the scientific plant name.
Subspecies
The subspecies part of the scientific plant name, if any.
Taxon
The scientific name of the plant observed, without authors and with only the genus capitalized. For instance
    Vaccinium ovatum