Wales Will Launch Plant Database

Scientists in Wales are attempting to catalog all 1,143 species of native flowering plants. The project is to better study plant genetics and bee pollination patterns, as well as verify the authenticity of Welsh-made products, according to BBC Earth News.

The Barcode Wales Project is led by Dr. Natasha de Vere of the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Dr Tim Rich of the National Museum of Wales, and Professor Mike Wilkinson from Aberystwyth University. By collecting live samples and examining preserved samples from the National Museum, the team extracted DNA specimens from every species.

Daffodil, the national flower of Wales

The gene sequences of individual Welsh plants will share commonalities, which can identify them among other plants in the Barcode of Life Database. By comparing earlier species with newer varieties, scientists will be able to determine how genetic variation changes over time.


"Potentially we can reconstruct past landscapes by identifying plants form seeds within the soil profile and it will help us understand how plant communities are assembled, vital for predicting the effect of climate change," Vere said, according to WalesOnline.


Scientists can also use the barcodes to track the nutritional requirements of endangered animals, examining fauna fecal samples. 


The teams findings are due to be published sometime this summer.