REFLORA PROGRAM ASSOCIATED WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY-VIRTUAL HERBARIUM OF FLORA AND FUNGI: EXPANSION, INTEGRATION AND DIGITAL DISSEMINATION OF REPATRIATED DATA ON BRAZILIAN FLORA Leonor Costa Maia, Ana Odete Santos Vieira, Dora Canhos, João Renato Stehmann, Maria Regina Barbosa, Mariângela Menezes, Ariane Luna Peixoto

Abstract

The REFLORA project linked to the National Institute of Science and Technology-Virtual Herbarium of Flora and Fungi, (January/2011 to July/2015), had as its main objectives the repatriation of data from collections of plants and fungi from Brazil deposited in herbaria of the abroad and the development of a system for including images of these specimens, as well as materials deposited in herbaria in the country. 13 datasets were included and the Exsiccatae system was developed for image inclusion and service. The original goal of integrating 50 thousand images was achieved, almost one million images and more than 710 thousand data records repatriated. These repatriated collections contain data on more than 31 thousand species (accepted names), that is, 67% of the species mentioned in the List of Species of the Flora of Brazil. The execution of the project allowed the installation of an Exhibition Room of the INCT-Herbário Virtual/Reflora, in operation at the Federal University of Pernambuco, and the online availability of historical collections: from the botanist Glaziou, more than 26 thousand records associated with around 15 thousand images and by Brazilian mycologist Chaves Batista, with more than 500 articles. From the launch of the image service (October/2012) until December 2015, around 6 million images were viewed through INCT-Herbário Virtual, with more than 3 million in 2015 alone. The results demonstrate the importance of the activities developed to expand , improving data quality and making information available about plants and fungi in the country.