. . . as our future website, some pages merely describe our plans.

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This page defines the azalea data base to be created, in terms of a functional specification and some example entries. As the intent is to provide some of the detail needed for both its development and use, it includes information of interest to the user (USER) and to the developer (SITE).

0 Open questions (USER, SITE)
0a measurements: use English, or metric, or user choice of either
0b colors: use Universal Color Language (UCL) colors, or . . . ?
Pro: UCL colors are generally understood without reference to a color chart.
Con: UCL has only 267 named colors, so it can pinpoint only very few of the thousands of specific flower color names.
A UCL color name includes an optional value+chroma term, an optional hue modifier term, and a hue term. For example, light yellowish pink, which describes salmon, shrimp, peach, pearl, apricot, vinaceous buff, etc.
 0b1 value+chroma = very pale, pale, grayish, dark grayish, blackish, very light, light, medium, dark, very dark, brilliant, strong, deep, very deep, vivid
 0b2 hue modifier = bluish, brownish, greenish, orangish, pinkish, purplish, reddish, whitish, yellowish
 0b3 hue = blue, brown, gray, green, orange, pink, purple, red, violet, white, yellow
0c: cold hardy temperatures: keep/show as USDA zones, or as degrees
0d: data entry display: show as one long page, or as multiple pages (groupings suggested by blank lines in 2, below), with all but the first headed by the plant name for reference
0e data entry audit trail: keep history of who/what/when for each field, or keep most recent values only
0f retrieval: how to handle missing data, eg, color: if "red" plants are requested, should we:
- retrieve only those plants with "red" in the color field; or
- retrieve plants with "red" in the color field + plants with nothing in the color field (rationale: maybe they are red; let the user decide)
- have buttons for user choice of 'matches only' or 'matches+empty'
0g constant data: load exception data only, or load constant data, such as number of petals = 5 for most azaleas--retrieval may be better served by loading constant data--relates to 0f
0h "short-info" sort: by user choice, or by plant name, or by number of matches
0i "long-info" display: see [4] below for choices and examples

1 Retrieval and display (USER, SITE)
1a retrieve by plant name
 1a1 USER types in a plant name
 1a2 SITE edits typed input to standard form [see 2a] by stripping off 'R' or 'R.' or 'Rhodo' or 'Rhododendron', leading or trailing quotes or apostrophes or punctuation; then uses it as the search criterion to retrieve and display the "short-info" for any matching plants [see 3]
1b retrieve by "short-info" plant characters
 1b1 screen shows menus with the terms for the "short-info" plant characters
 1b2 screen shows optional OR, NOT operators for each character, with AND as the default (eg, retrieve all plants with NOT red blooms AND bloom early AND medium height AND cold-hardy to zone 7)
 1b3 USER enters any or all of the "short-info" plant characters
 1b4 SITE uses plant characters and connectives as the search criteria to retrieve and display the "short-info" for any matching plants
1c retrieve by "long-info" plant characters
 1c1 USER clicks an "advanced search" button
 1c2 screen shows all plant character menus and data entry boxes
 1c3 USER enters any or all of the "long-info" plant characters
 1c4 SITE uses plant characters and connectives as the search criteria to retrieve and display the "short-info" for any matching plants
1d USER clicks a "short-info" line to retrieve and display "long-info" [see 4] for that plant

2 Plant Characters (USER, SITE)
The characters are shown here in the sequence they should appear in the "long-info" display, identified by numbers in parentheses such as (3), and using these codes:
- characters which appear in the "short-info" display and as the "short-info" retrieval menus are shown with an *.
- characters which should have links to explanatory text or graphics are shown with a ? (these links could be indicated by a ? to the right of the box or menu, and text help could be shown in a temporary auxiliary window)
- characters with text boxes are shown with [text], others are menus
- menus with optional multiple selections are shown with [multiple]
- each menu should have a default choose entry to show that no choice has been made
- color fields (8) 'bloom color', (14) 'garden color', (28) 'stamen color' and (31) 'calyx color' are each a single UCL color [see 0b1-0b3], which may be described either (preferably) by one long multiple selection menu with separators between the entries for value+chroma, hue modifier, and hue, or by three separate menus for value+chroma, hue modifier, and hue
- color fields (10-13) 'pattern color' are each followed by a UCL color as just described, to be stored after the pattern selections, such as "stripes and flecks vivid red"
- an empty value is acceptable for any character except the plant name, and replaces any existing value for that character

name
(1)* name [text]: show as initial caps without apostrophes for hybrids or named cultivars, eg Sunglow, Pink Cascade; lower case for species, eg kiusianum; site will strip off any leading 'R' or 'R.' or 'Rhodo' or 'Rhododendron' as being understood for azaleas; use full genus and species for any companion plants if we extend the database to include them, eg Houstonia caerulea; strip off multiple spaces, leading or trailing apostrophes and quotes, other punctuation
(2)*? group: hybrid menu, eg Glenn Dale; and species menu, eg kiusianum
(3) translated name [text]: eg Joint Pleasure
(4) synonyms [text]: other names by which the plant is or has been known (the (1) name is the preferred name), USDA PI numbers, Brookside Gardens numbers, hybridizer or collector numbers, seed lot number, etc.
(5) seed parent [text]: eg, (Maxwelli x Snow) for hybrids; or the nativity of species, ie, countries or localities where it is native
(6) pollen parent [text]: for hybrids, blank for species
(7) plant type: evergreen azalea, deciduous azalea, azaleodendron, other

flower
(8)?* bloom color: the most prominent color as viewed from 6 inches away, such as vivid reddish orange (see [7b] for multiple color conventions)
(9) color synonyms [text]: [for (8) 'bloom color'] other color names or numbers for this color, eg, RHS number including its edition such as RHS86 43A, Ridgway such as Grenadine Red, Munsell such as 7.7R 4.8/14.7, or HCC such as Signal Red 719. Other color fields may contain color synonyms at the end of the field.
(10)? pattern color 1: slightly, very, small, large, ---, selfed, striped, sectored, sanded, flaked, flecked, dotted, margin, center, basal, buds, blotch, throat, tube, outside, stamens, pistil, upper, lower, petal, petals, ---, flushed, fading to, shading to, suffused, undertone, lighter, darker, deeper, lighter, paler, ---, Sokijiro (picotee), Shirofukurin (fuke), Shibori sokojiro, Janome shibori, Shirotamafu, Tsumajiro, Tsumabeni, Oshibori, Koshibori (jiai), Diashoshibori, Data shibori, Tate shibori, Shiro shibori, Fukiage shibori, Fukkake shibori, Arare shibori, Mijin shibori, Hakeme shibori, Tobiiri shibori, Harusame, Sarasa shibori, Hanzome shibori, Kano shibori [multiple]
(11) pattern color 2: same menu as (10)
(12) pattern color 3: same menu as (11)
(13) pattern color 4: same menu as (12)
(14) garden color: the color as viewed from 30' away (eg, white with red stripes may appear to be either white, pink or red from 30' away, depending on the strength of the red stripes)
(15)? flower type: single, hose-in-hose, semi-double, semi-double hose-in-hose, double, double hose-in-hose, spider [multiple]
(16)? flower shape: narrow, broad, recurved, tubular, funnel, saucer, flat, bell [multiple]
(17)? flower quantity: slightly, very, ---, sparse, abundant, profuse [multiple]
(18) flowers in truss: 1 to 30 by 1 [multiple]
(19)? truss shape: dome, ball, conical, flat, lax
(20) truss height: 1/4'' to 2 1/2'' by 1/4'', to 7'' by 1/2'' [multiple]
(21) truss width: 1/4'' to 2 1/2'' by 1/4'', to 7'' by 1/2'' [multiple]
(22)? petal shape: slightly, very, ---, narrow, rounded, pointed, wavy, frilled, overlapped [multiple]
(23) number of petals: 1 to 30 by 1 [multiple]
(24) flower width: 1/4'' to 2 1/2'' by 1/4'', to 7'' by 1/2'' [multiple]
(25) flower length: 1/4'' to 2 1/2'' by 1/4'', to 7'' by 1/2'' [multiple]
(26) flower scent: no scent, slightly, very, ---, musky, sweet, spicy [multiple]
(27) stamen length: 1/4'' to 2 1/2'' by 1/4'', to 7'' by 1/2'' [multiple]
(28) stamen color: most prominent color
(29) stamen count
(30) calyx length: 1/8'' to 1'' by 1/8'' [multiple]
(31) calyx color
(32)* bloom time (relative, to take all latitudes into account): very_early, early, early_midseason, midseason, late_midseason, late, very_late [multiple]

foliage
(33) leaf life: 1, 2, 3, variable {multiple]
(34)? leaf shape: elliptic, ovate, obovate, lanceolate, oblanceolate, round, oblong, linear [multiple]
(35)? leaf tip shape: acuminate, acute, broadly acute, obtuse [multiple]
(36)? leaf base shape: cuneate, rounded, oblique, cordate [multiple]
(37)? leaf margin: flat, wavy, upcurved, downcurved, twisted [multiple]
(38) leaf length: 1/8'' to 1'' by 1/8'', to 2'' by 1/4'', to 7'' by 1/2'' [multiple]
(39) leaf width: 1/8'' to 1'' by 1/8'', to 2'' by 1/4'', to 7'' by 1/2'' [multiple]
(40) leaf color above: slightly, very, ---, dull, shiny, ---, light, medium, dark, ---, green, ---, mottled, edged, ---, yellow, white [multiple]
(41) leaf color below: slightly, very, ---, dull, shiny, ---, light, medium, dark, ---, green, ---, mottled, edged, ---, yellow, white [multiple]
(42) leaf fall color: green, yellow, dark red, purple
(43) leaf scent: no scent, slightly, very, ---, musky, sweet, spicy [multiple]
(44)? leaf arrangement: alternate, whorled
(45)? leaf hairs above: none, few, some, many [multiple]
(46)? leaf hairs below: none, few, some, many [multiple]

plant
(47)*? plant habit: slightly, very, ---, weeping, prostrate, upright, spreading, mounding, arching, irregular [multiple]
(48)? plant style: slightly, very, ---, dense, open, leggy [multiple]
(49)* plant height: 0.5' to 3' by 0.5', to 12' by 1' [multiple]
(50) plant width: 0.5' to 3' by 0.5', to 12' by 1' [multiple]
(51) plant age: 5 to 20 by 1 year
(52)* plant hardy: USDA cold-hardiness zone [multiple]
(53) bud hardy: USDA cold-hardiness zone [multiple]
(54) heat zone: AHS heat-hardiness zone [multiple]
(55) exposure: full sun, part shade, full shade [multiple]
(56) moisture: wet, moist, dry [multiple]

miscellaneous
(57)? hybridized by [text] (name, location, year): for hybrids; = 'collected/selected by' for species or open-pollinated hybrids
(58)? grown by [text] (name, location, year)
(59)? named by [text] (name, location, year)
(60)? introduced [text] (name, location, year)
(61)? registered [text] (name, location, year)
(62) published where [text] (publication name, author name, year) (63)? available from [text]: grower keys or links [?]
(64)? plant awards [text] (award, year)
(65) differences [text]: differences from similar plants
(66) comments [text]: to describe anything not covered above, eg "deer avoid it"
(67) updated by [text]: (added by SITE)
(68) last updated date [text]: (added by SITE)
(69) photos [text]: (links, classified as landscape, plant, bloom, leaf, bark)
(70) photo info [text]: photographer, date, location, camera, settings, film, etc.

3 "short-info" display (SITE)
3a goal: show summary info for most plants as one line per plant, for use as links to the "long-info"
3b fields: name, bloom color, bloom time, plant habit, plant height, cold zone, hybrid group
3c example: Orange Sherbert; vivid red; midseason; spreading; low; Z7; Greenwood

4 "long-info" display (SITE)
4a goal: show all fields for one plant on one screen, ie, without scrolling
4b either show field name: field text field name: field text etc., omitting empty fields.
4b1 example: Name: Orange Sherbert  Group: Greenwood  Parents: (Linda Jean x Hexe)  Bloom Color: vivid red  Color Synonyms: RHS86 44A  Bloom Type: double  Bloom Width: 2.75'' to 3''  Bloom Scent: no scent  Bloom Time: midseason  Plant Habit: spreading  Plant Height: 18'' to 24''  Cold Hardy: Z6a to Z7b  Hybridized By: Bill Guttormsen 1960  Updated By: bstelloh@aol.com  Last Updated: 29 July 1999  Photos: [photo links if any]
4c or show field text without field names, with punctuation and hints where useful, omitting empty fields
4c1 example: Orange Sherbet, Greenwood, (Linda Jean x Hexe), bloom vivid red, RHS86 44A, double, 2.75'' to 3'', no scent, midseason, plant spreading, 18'' to 24''h, zone 6a to 7b, hybr. Bill Guttormsen 1960, by bstelloh@aol.com, 29 July 1999, [photo links if any]

5 data entry (USER, SITE)
5a one plant at a time via email
 5a1 request by name to receive data for a specific plant in the form "field name: data", one line per field
 5a2 lock the record against other updates
 5a3 reply to the email
 5a4 edit the data in the reply
 5a5 send the reply to store the edited data
 5a6 retrieve via normal user search and check "short-info", click it and check "long-info", click each link to check them
5b one plant at a time via interactive data entry at the website
 5b1 request by name to show its data entry page filled in, as in 2, above
 5b2 lock the record against other updates
 5b3 edit as approprate
 5b4 click "save" to store the entered data
 5b5 retrieve via normal user search and check "short-info", click it and check "long-info", click each link to check them
5c multiple plant entry via attached file
 5c1 header record of file names
 5c2 data records, one per plant with tab-delimited fields, return delimited records
 5c3 possible sources are Galle's 'Azaleas', RHS azalea registration data
5d data entry access
 5d1 pre-registered data "stewards" as for ARS site, or
 5d2 anybody who knows a particular plant, such as hybridizers, nurserymen, other growers
 5d3 we need a review/approval mechanism to have a second party/committee review data changed via 5a or 5b before storing it permanently, to prevent malicious abuse by someone stumbling upon the update schemes, to catch blunders or typos, and to prevent updating data for the wrong plant

6 data entry error checking (SITE)
- the '---' menu entry is a group separator, and is not a valid entry
- (1) 'name' must be present
- if present, (2) 'group' must have either a hybrid or a species menu entry, but not both
- if present, (8) 'bloom color', (10-13) 'pattern color', (14) 'garden color', (28) 'stamen color', (31) 'calyx color' entries may have 1 value+chroma entry, may have 1 hue modifier entry, and must have 1 hue entry; or
- any menu with 'slightly' and 'very' entries may have 1 of them, not both, and must also have another entry
- if present and (26) 'flower scent', (43) 'leaf scent' have 'no scent' selected, they must not also have another entry
- if present, (36) 'leaf color' may have no more than 1 entry from each set of entries, and must include 'green' (or simply add 'green' before 'mottled' or 'edged' if present, or after any other entries if 'mottled' or 'edged' is not present

7 data entry conventions (USER)
7a (10-13) 'pattern colors':
- multiple entries are stored in menu sequence, to yield, for example, "slightly dotted upper petals reddish orange", "center undertone green"
- pattern colors without patterns apply to their preceding fields. For example:
 - pattern 1 = "blotch darker yellow", and pattern color 2 = "striped bright green" means "blotch darker yellow striped bright green"
7b (8) 'bloom color': enter the inside flower color as the bloom color. To enter a range of bloom colors, enter the most prominent color as the bloom color, and the other as pattern color 1. For example:
- bloom color = "red", and pattern color 1 = "shading to orange" means "red shading to orange"
- bloom color = "red", and pattern color 1 = "orange" means "between red and orange"
- bloom color = "white", and pattern color 1 = "buds pink" means "pink buds opening to white"
7c fading: enter "fading to (color)" after the part that fades. For example, bloom color = "strong pink" and pattern color 1 = 'fading to pink' means the flower color fades, or pattern color 2 = 'buds pink' and pattern color 3 = 'fading to white' means the bud color fades.

8 data storage (SITE)
- store multiple menu selections in menu top-down sequence
- separate multiple menu selections by ' to ' unless the selection is in 'slightly very narrow broad', in which case separate it by a space
- separate (37) 'leaf margin' multiple menu selections by ' and '
- possibly convert some menu selections to numeric values [to facilitate 9]
- don't store any menu dimensions, such as ', '', °F

9 data retrieval for edits (to show data in menus) (SITE)
- reverse the process of 7, above, ie, strip ' to ', ' and ' and select all the other menu entries

10 "short info" search criteria (SITE)
- (1) 'name': exact match
- (2) 'group': exact match
- (8) 'bloom color': show a hue button
 - if hue clicked, match on hue
 - if hue not clicked, match on full color
 - match on (8) 'bloom color' OR (10-13) 'pattern color' OR (14) 'garden color'
- (32) 'bloom time': show some min and max buttons
 - if neither clicked, match on entry1 OR entry2
 - if min clicked, match on entry1 OR greater
 - if max clicked, match on entry2 (if any) OR less
- (47) 'plant habit': match on entry1 OR entry2
- (48) 'plant height': show some min and max buttons
 - if neither clicked, match on entry1 OR entry2
 - if min clicked, match on entry1 OR greater
 - if max clicked, match on entry2 (if any) OR less
- (52) 'plant hardy': show some min and max buttons
 - if neither clicked, match on entry1 OR entry2
 - if min clicked, match on entry1 OR greater
 - if max clicked, match on entry2 (if any) OR less
- (53) 'bud hardy': show some min and max buttons
 - if neither clicked, match on entry1 OR entry2
 - if min clicked, match on entry1 OR greater
 - if max clicked, match on entry2 (if any) OR less

Geisha; Glenn Dale; ; PI 141774; Vittata Fortunei; Miyagimo; ; white; ; blotch yellowish green; flakes and stripes reddish purple; ; ; white; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; 1 1/2'' to 2''; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; early; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; upright spreading; ; 6'; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; remove branch sports; bstelloh@aol.com; 29 July 1999; ; ; ; ; ; ;

Keisetsu; Satsuki; Student days; ; ; ; ; strong red; RHS 55C; center light pink; margin deep pink; ; ; red; single; flat; sparse; 3; ; ; ; rounded; ; 3'' ; ; no scent; ; ; ; ; ; midseason; elliptic; ; ; ; 1.25''; ; shiny dark green mottled yellow; ; no scent; alternate; ; few; spreading; dense; 12''; ; ; 6b; 6b; ; part shade; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; data for test; bstelloh@aol.com; 29 July 1999; ; ; ; ; ; ;