- Download link: Download
- Status: TDWG prior standard
- Category: Technical specification
- Date submitted: 2006-11-24
- Date published: 1987-10-01
- Last modified: 2007-05-09
International Transfer Format for Botanic Garden Plant Records, version 2 (ITF2) was developed in response to requests from Botanic Gardens to incorporate additional data fields for transfer within the Botanic Gardens and allow for a more flexible transfer format than the original transfer format outlined in ITF version 01.00. It is biased towards 'Conservation Type Data Fields', but incorporates a procedure allowing for additional data fields to be identified and exchanged between gardens. It is because of this flexibility that it is believed that the ITF2 will remain relevant to Botanic Gardens for a long time despite the rapid change in information system technology in recent years.
BGCI was helped by international editorial committee, ran a number of International Workshops within the Botanic Garden Community and also consulted with internationally known horticultural Groups over the last 5 years produce this final draft of the International Transfer Format for Botanic Garden Records - Version 2 and it is hoped that others beyond the Botanic Garden Community will be able to make use of this publication.
ITF2 was developed in close conjunction with HISPID3 (Herbarium Information Standards and Protocols for the Interchange of Data Version 3) and its progress has been closely monitored by the Centers of Plant Conservation (CPC) based in St Louis, Missouri, North American which is currently developing an data exchange format based on ITF2 but requiring additional fields unique to their network. It is fully compatible with ITF1 and has based its plantname structure on "Plant Names in Botanical Databases", Frank A Bisby, Plant Taxonomic Database Standard No. 3 - Version 1.00, December 1994.