Fact Sheet Template
Use the standard Fact Sheet Template of ISMA for easy uploading of text when creating fact sheets. The Fact Sheet Template will enable authors to produce fact sheets containing the same type of information that is arranged in a consistent format. **Please note: the template could be updated on an ongoing basis without notification.
Please click to download the Fact Sheet Template for Seed Identification Guide ® (SIG).
How to fill the Factsheet Template
General Instruction:
- Use plain English words as much as you can, considering end-users who may or may not have botany training or are an international audience.
- Please use standard terminologies for feature descriptions in the glossary of SIG or description charts for shape, surface texture, colour, and embryo features.
- Describe the features on dispersal units that would be considered typical for the species, i.e. mature, intact, and exhibiting identifying features, but include observations on the range of natural variation.
- The template sections are mandatory when labeled with “*”
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Guidance for name usage in the fact sheet text:
- When a crop is mentioned in a fact sheet, the scientific name (followed by the common name) must be listed at its first appearance. The common name (without a scientific name) can be used afterward if it is a common crop (i.e., widely cultivated).
- When either a wild species or a localized/non-common crop is mentioned in a fact sheet, the scientific name (without a common name) is preferred. When authors decide how to use names in the fact sheet, discretion is recommended to provide accuracy, avoid confusion to the audience, and have concise content.
Template section explanations and examples:
*Scientific Name:
Names for Genus, Species, and Author using current names from reliable and reputable naming sources, e.g.,
- GRIN (The Germplasm Resources Information Network)
- GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
- POWO (Plants of the World Online (KEW))
- WFO (The World Flora Online)
- Tropicos
- ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System)
- Catalogue of Life
Example:
Solanum carolinense L. (Genus, species, and author)
*Family Name:
Solanaceae
Synonym(s):
Optional, if synonyms add value for end-users, e.g., newly changed names. The name sources shall be indicated using reference citation, see details in the Reference section.
Example:
Zygophyllum fabago L. var. fabago (USDA-ARS 2021)
Zygophyllum fabago L. var. brachycarpum Boiss. (USDA-ARS 2021)
Common Name(s):
Optional, if the common name(s) adds value or convenience for end-users. Language associated with the common name must be indicated. The name sources shall be indicated using reference citation, see details in the Reference section.
Example:
Horse-nettle (English) (USDA-ARS 2021)
Morelle de la Caroline (French) (Darbyshire 2003)
Regulation Keyword:
This field is for “Index Keywords”, which will aid in indexing, searching, or sorting. It could be regulatory importance, special usages for stakeholders such as sponsors’ or partners’ needs.
Example: Canadian Weed Seeds Order; United States Federal Noxious Weed List
Regulation Notes:
Optional; may be used to provide more specific information.
Example: Prohibited Noxious, Class 1 in the Canadian Weed Seeds Order (2016) under the Seeds Act. All imported and domestic seed must be free of Prohibited Noxious weed seeds.
Accreditation Keyword:
This field is for “Index Keywords”, which will aid in indexing, searching, or sorting. It could be “Accreditation” importance, special usages for stakeholders such as sponsors’ or partners’ needs.
Example: AOSA/SCST Exam List
Accreditation Notes:
Optional; may be used to provide more specific information.
Example: The Amaranthus tuberculatus fact sheet has, 'Included under Amaranthus spp. on the ISTA Universal List of Species'.
*Distribution:
Describes a wild (non-cultivated) species distribution information regarding the native or naturalized locations with references.
Examples: Native to eastern North America, from Ontario to northern Mexico, and introduced in Japan and India (Bassett and Munro 1986; USDA-ARS 2016).
Habitat and Crop Association:
General description of wild (non-cultivated) species preferred growing areas and habitats, and agricultural crop association since they may grow in similar conditions or the same areas.
Example: Grows in cultivated fields, pastures, gardens, nurseries, riverbanks, roadsides, and disturbed areas (Bassett and Munro 1986; Darbyshire 2003). Most frequently found in Zea mays L. (corn) and grain fields, and to a lesser extent in pastures, Medicago sativa L.(alfalfa), Solanum tuberosum L. (potatoes), Glycine max (L.) Merr. (soybeans), and Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomatoes) (Bassett and Munro 1986).
Economic Use, Cultivation Area, and Weed Association
General description for cultivated crops or plant species for their economic use, cultivation regions and climate, and potential weeds association. For example,
Tomato is consumed in diverse ways, raw or cooked, in many dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks. Tomatoes, aside from being tasty, are very healthy as they are a good source of vitamins A and C.
Tomato is a warm-season crop, produced in temperate, subtropical, and tropical areas around the world (Blanca et al. 2012).
As reported by the European Weed Research Society Working Group on Weed Management Systems in Vegetables, the following species can be found in European fields of processing tomatoes: Alopecurus myosuroides, Amaranthus spp., ...(Tei et al. 2003)
*Duration of Life Cycle:
Botanical life cycle, i.e. from seeds to seeds cycle, as Annual, Biennial, Perennial, Winter Annual.
*Dispersal Unit Type:
If needed, botanical classification of a dispersal unit can be used from a recognized source, e.g., A Systematic Treatment of Fruit Types (Spjut et al. 1994)
General Information:
Other information related to the species that may be interesting to end-users.
Example: Solanum carolinense may produce up to 5000 seeds per plant. The seeds are apparently spread through livestock manure and the berries and horizontal roots are spread as a result of harvesting operations (Bassett and Munro 1986; CABI 2016).
*Identification Features:
For the identification fields below, provide only relevant features or information to identify seed or fruit (excluding Additional Botany Information)
Fruit Feature Description:
Describe different fruit types or dispersal units of a species, e.g., spikelet, floret, and caryopsis. The fruit section can be repeated by inserting the table multiple times, e.g., one fruit table for spikelet, one for floret, and one for caryopsis.
Fruit Botanical Name:
If needed, botanical classification of a fruit type can be used with a recognized source, e.g., A Systematic Treatment of Fruit Types (Spjut et al. 1994).
Size:
Size measurements of fruit type under description to one or two decimal places in millimeters or centimeters.
The method of the measurement shall be specified, e.g., using the ISMA Seed Size Measurement Protocol, including the number of fruit types measured, or a citation from literature. Usually, a size range should be provided.
Example:
Capsule length: 10.0 mm – 35.0 mm; width: 4.0 – 5.0 mm (FNA 1993+)
Spikelet length*: 5.0 – 8.3 mm; width: 1.5 - 2.8 mm
*Note: minimum and maximum of 20 spikelets in a normal range of this species using image measurement (ISMA 2020)
Shape:
Provide sufficient feature shape description (e.g., shape in 2-D and 3-D views) including potential variations. Reference the Seed Shape Chart, selecting the closest shape to describe the fruit type.
Surface Texture:
Reference the Seed Surface Feature Chart for core features with further description for individual cases.
Colour:
Describe colour(s) along with any colour patterns, and light reflections, e.g., dull or shiny. Reference the Seed Colour Chart, selecting the closest colour to describe the fruit type.
Other Features:
Special accessories are often specific to a plant family, e.g., style remnant, pappus, and awn.
Describe based on non-specific orientation, rather than specific such as base or apex, e.g., one end contains the awn.
Example: achene of Cirsium arvense
The narrow pale collar at one end of the achene
Immature achenes can have plumose pappus hairs
Seed Feature Description:
Size:
Size measurements of seed under description to one or two decimal places in millimeters or centimeters.
The method of the measurement shall be specified e.g., using the ISMA Seed Size Measurement Protocol, including the number of seeds measured or a citation from literature.
Example:
Length: 1.0 mm – 3.5 mm; width: 2.0 – 3.0 mm (FNA 1993+)
Length*: 1.7 – 2.8 mm; width: 1.4 - 2.1 mm; thickness: 0.02 mm
*Note: minimum and maximum of 20 seeds in a normal range of this species using image measurement (ISMA 2020)
Shape:
Provide sufficient feature shape description (e.g., shape in 2-D and 3-D views) including potential variations. Reference the Seed Shape Chart, selecting the closest shape to describe the seed.
Surface Texture:
Reference the Seed Surface Feature Chart for core features with further description for individual cases.
Colour :
Describe colour(s) along with any colour patterns and light reflections, e.g., dull or shiny. Reference the Seed Colour Chart, selecting the closest colour to describe the seed.
Other Features:
Describe special structures of the seed, often specific to a plant family, e.g., hilum, aril, and raphe.
Describe based on non-specific orientation, rather than specific such as base or apex, e.g., the hilum is located at one end.
Example: Hilum is a 0.5 mm long teardrop-shaped slit along the edge near one end of the seed.
Embryo and Endosperm Feature Description
Reference the Common Embryo Description
Embryo Size:
A size description of the embryo could be a qualitative description relative to the seed size.
Example:
Solanum carolinense: embryo fills approximately half the seed interior.
Triticum aestivum subsp. aestivum: embryo much smaller than the caryopsis.
Embryo Shape:
General description of the shape of embryo, e.g., linear, curved, oval-shaped.
Endosperm:
Endosperm present or absent, endosperm position, or other special features.
Example:
Solanum carolinense: endosperm fleshy and semi-transparent
Triticum aestivum subsp. aestivum: endosperm hard, opaque white
Other Features:
Additional features that are not be covered above, such as embryo position, e.g., the embryo is located at one end.
Example:
Solanum carolinense: embryo is in a peripheral position in the seed
Triticum aestivum subsp. aestivum: embryo visible from the outside of the caryopsis
Additional Botany Information:
Flowers/Inflorescence:
For particular botanical features of flowers and general botanical information associated with seed identification.
Vegetative Features:
For particular botanical features of seedlings or plants that might be interesting to the ISMA audience.
Identification Tips:
Use for any identification considerations such as variation in morphology, reliable features, difficulties, and precautions.
Example: The grooved reticulation of Solanum carolinense seed surface is unusual; commonly found Solanum species seeds have ridged reticulation. Seeds may appear smooth under low magnification.
*Similar Species:
1. Similar species are based on a study of seed morphology of various species, and those with similar dispersal units are identified. The study is limited by physical specimen and literature availability at the time of examination, and possibly impacted by the subjectivity of the authors based on their knowledge and experience. Providing similar species information for seed identification is to make users aware of similarities that could possibly result in misidentification.
(L’identification des espèces semblables est fondée sur l’étude de la morphologie des graines; les espèces qui possèdent des unités de dispersion semblables sont retenues. L’étude est limitée par la disponibilité des spécimens physiques et des publications au moment de l'examen et peut être teintée par la subjectivité des auteurs, compte tenu de leurs connaissances et de leur expérience. L’information sur les espèces semblables qui est fournie pour faciliter l’identification des graines vise à faire connaître aux utilisateurs les similitudes qui pourraient mener à des erreurs d’identification.)
2. Similar species of a genus generally refer to similar species within the genus.
3. Similar species description can use format such as: a) comparison table, b) brief description, highlighting the features used to distinguish the species, c) list of fact sheets of individual species, if they are available on ISMA website.
*Reference(s)
Reference Style in Text:
All citations in the text should refer to:
- Single author: the author's name (without initials, unless there is ambiguity) and the year of publication;
- Two authors: both authors' names and the year of publication;
- Three or more authors: first author's name followed by 'et aI.' and the year of publication.
- References start with the oldest references first and the newest at the end, alphabetizing any with the same year
- Each reference separated by a semicolon, except when citing different publications by the same author in which case the years of publication are separated by commas.
Example:
“…western states (Donald and Ogg 1991; CABI 2020)."
“…as demonstrated (Allan 1996a, 1996b, 1999; Allan and Jones 1997). Kramer et aI. (2000) have recently shown ...."
“…(Host) Ces. (USDA-ARS 2020; POWO 2022; Tropicos 2022)."
Reference List:
- References should be arranged first alphabetically and then further sorted chronologically if necessary;
- More than one reference from the same author(s) in the same year must be identified by the letters "a", "b", "c", etc., placed after the year of publication;
- An organization's name must be fully spelled out and followed by its acronym in parentheses;
- Online material and databases must have the date it was accessed in the following format: Accessed Month/day/year, e.g., Accessed November 29, 2022.
Example:
Reference a journal:
Abbott, L. B., Lepar, D. and Daniel, D. L. 2007. Vegetative and reproductive phenology of African rue (Peganum harmala) in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. The Southwestern Naturalist 52 (2): 209-218.
Boyd, J. W. and Murray, D. S. 1982. Growth and development of silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium). Weed Science 30 (3): 238-243.
Reference a book:
Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Branch. Ottawa, ON.
Reference a chapter in an edited book:
Mettam, G.R., Adams, L.B., 1999. How to prepare an electronic version of your article, in Jones, B.S., Smith, R.Z. (Eds.), Introduction to the Electronic Age. E-Publishing Inc., New York, pp. 281-304.
Reference online materials:
Flora of North America (FNA) Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico [Online]. 22+ vols. New York and Oxford. http://beta.floranorthamerica.org. Accessed November 29, 2022.
Reference an online database:
U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS). 2022. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysimple.aspx. Accessed February 14, 2022.
*Author(s)
Authored by: First name Last name, Organization name and address, correspondence author email.
Example: Dave Smith, International Seed Morphology Association, Suite 301, 555 Super Road, Post Code, Country, dave.smith@idseed.org
