Application programming interface (API)

• Search
• OpenRefine
• R Project - Taxize

Search

The VASCAN Search API accepts GET and POST requests. The path contains an explicit version and the search resource accepts a parameter q. The value for q can be a scientific name, a vernacular name or a VASCAN taxon identifier (e.g. 861). It may be a single value for GET requests or multiple values (maximum 200) for POST requests, each separated by line breaks, \n. Scientific or vernacular names may optionally be preceded by your local identifier and a pipe, |. GET requests for JSON-based URIs may have an additional callback parameter for JSONP responses.

http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/api/0.1/search.json OR http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/api/0.1/search.xml

Parameter

q

Scientific name, vernacular name, or VASCAN taxon identifier. Use line breaks, \n between values for POST requests. Precede values with your local identifier and a pipe, | (optional). e.g. ?q=Crataegus dodgei e.g. ?q=1004232|lowbush blueberry e.g. ?q=5031

Response

{
    apiVersion: "0.1",
    lastUpdatedDate: "YYYY-MM-DD",
    results: [
        {
            searchedTerm: "Crataegus dodgei",
            numMatches: 1,
            matches: [
                {
                    taxonID: 8673,
                    scientificName: "Crataegus dodgei Ashe",
                    scientificNameAuthorship: "Ashe",
                    canonicalName: "Crataegus dodgei",
                    taxonRank: "species",
                    taxonomicAssertions: [
                        {
                            acceptedNameUsage: "Crataegus dodgei Ashe",
                            acceptedNameUsageID: 8673,
                            nameAccordingTo: "FNA Editorial Committee. in prep. Flora of North America north of Mexico...etc",
                            nameAccordingToID: "",
                            taxonomicStatus: "accepted",
                            parentNameUsageID: 2408,
                            higherClassification: "Equisetopsida;Magnoliidae;Rosanae;Rosales;Rosaceae;Spiraeoideae;Pyreae;Crataegus;Crataegus sect. Coccineae;Crataegus ser. Rotundifoliae"
                        }
                    ],
                    vernacularNames: [
                        {
                            vernacularName: "aubépine de Dodge",
                            language: "fr",
                            source: "McMurray, S. & A. Lehela. 1999. Ontario Plant List - Digital Version 1.0...etc",
                            preferredName: true
                        },
                        {
                            vernacularName: "Dodge's hawthorn",
                            language: "en",
                            source: "",
                            preferredName: true
                        },
                        {
                            vernacularName: "aubépine jaunâtre",
                            language: "fr",
                            source: "Cuerrier, A. Proposition de nom français. (pers. comm.)",
                            preferredName: false
                        },
                        {
                            vernacularName: "yellowish hawthorn",
                            language: "en",
                            source: "Anions, M., Director of Science, NatureServe Canada (pers. comm.)",
                            preferredName: false
                        },
                        {
                            vernacularName: "yellowish Dodge's hawthorn",
                            language: "en",
                            source: "FNA Editorial Committee. in prep. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Volume 17...etc",
                            preferredName: false
                        }
                    ],
                    distribution: [
                        {
                            locationID: "ISO 3166-2:CA-ON",
                            locality: "ON",
                            establishmentMeans: "native",
                            occurrenceStatus: "native"
                        },
                        {
                            locationID: "ISO 3166-2:CA-QC",
                            locality: "QC",
                            establishmentMeans: "native",
                            occurrenceStatus: "native"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

OpenRefine

Use OpenRefine to reconcile your scientific or vernacular names against VASCAN.

http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/refine/0.1/reconcile

R Project - Taxize

Use Taxize to reconcile your scientific or vernacular names against VASCAN.

https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/taxize/index.html