Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation
A Research Division of Carnegie Mellon University

Hunt Institute Archives Text Discovery Platform

Search a large and growing portion of our online collections, including handwritten documents.
PROTOTYPE

This prototype uses state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, including a vision-language model (VLM) capable of reading handwritten documents as well as typed and printed text, to create searchable transcriptions of digitized materials in the Hunt Institute Archives. This makes it possible to search the textual contents of individual pages, including material that may not be described in the archival catalog.

Use Keyword search for specific words, names, dates, scientific names, or phrases. Try Semantic search (experimental) to describe a topic, question, or kind of material when you do not know the exact wording used in the documents.

About the AI-generated transcriptions

The transcriptions are generated automatically from page images and may contain errors, especially with difficult handwriting, unusual names, multiple languages, image-quality problems, or complex layouts. They are intended primarily as a discovery aid rather than authoritative transcriptions.

Each result provides the generated transcription and links to the original digitized material and associated archival description so that readings can be checked against the source. The transcription workflow uses AI models run locally by the Hunt Institute.

About Keyword and Semantic search

Keyword search is the default and matches the wording in the transcriptions. Results contain all your terms. Use quotes for an exact phrase. Substring matching is supported, so aceae can find plant-family names ending in -aceae.

Semantic search (experimental) is useful when you know what kind of material you are looking for but do not know the words used in the documents. It ranks transcribed passages by similarity of meaning, so relevant results may not contain the exact words in your query.

Semantic queries can be broad research topics, descriptions of activities or relationships, or natural-language questions. For example:

Semantic search is not a chatbot: a question is used as a search query, and the system returns archival passages that appear conceptually related to it rather than generating an answer or summary. Short descriptions and ordinary research questions generally work better than lists of disconnected keywords. Quotation marks have no special meaning in Semantic mode. Cross-language matching may work in some cases, but it should not be treated as translation.

Keyword and Semantic search are complementary. Keyword search lets you require particular wording; Semantic search can surface differently worded passages about the same subject. Depending on the research question, trying both can reveal different useful material.

Open a result: use the prominent page-and-transcription link to see the metadata, PDF, and full transcription. Keyword-search terms are highlighted in the transcription.

Archives Collections Database (ArchivesSpace): the Collection, Item/Folder, and Digital Object links open the corresponding archival records. Collection-level dates describe the collection as a whole, not necessarily the specific item or page.

If a PDF does not load: on the detail page, use the Digital Object link, click “Go to file” in ArchivesSpace, and navigate to the page number shown here.

Current limitations
  • Automated transcriptions can contain missing or incorrect text or unintended repetition. Difficult handwriting, image quality, unusual layouts, and multiple languages can reduce accuracy. Always consult the original page image when an exact reading matters.
  • Semantic search remains experimental. Its rankings are an additional discovery aid, not a complete or definitive set of relevant results, and highly ranked pages can sometimes be only broadly related.
  • This is an active prototype. Search coverage, transcriptions, functionality, and the interface may continue to change as additional archival material is processed and the system is improved.

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Page 108 · DO #1190 · 39_Burgess_Bx1LectureNotebookr

Collection
Edward Sandford Burgess (1855–1928) papers
Item/Folder
Notebook, "Lectures on Botany", Undated
Digital Object
DO #1190, page 108
Collection-level dates
1889–1895, n.d.
Open PDF at page 108 ↗

Page transcription

NOLETTIA Kunth (Bigelowia, P.C., Diolacoides, Mahr)

ANCHIETA #thil. (Nolettia, M-2). A. salutaris, a crpy bush, a root of Cabbage, & nauseous taste, that in Braz
a quack cures every age skin dis. Some people use to it as tov.candies, forces, la apres.

SCHWEIGERIA Syxeng. (Glossocleba /M-2)

CORYNSTYLIS Max. (Calycotima, Gips) Tooning stem; needs a benay; the link to Passiflora,
the singular spuced x perenate has aged byly, p 338. of C Hyacinthus.

AMPHIRHOX #spring. (Amphirhogo, Reh, Spathularia #thil. Bradlein, Fl.Plum)

ALSODEIA Theurus (Alsodea, M-2, Conchoria Kunth,Audr, Dripax,Morah, Physiphora,Salody, Riana, Anal
Passauka, Audr, Rinacea,Audr, Ceranthera, Palis, Passiflora,ford, Eroosthesia, Nam,
A1.(Ceranthera) Libbston, I've used in Braz as Spinach to us; boiled, becaw asssalages.

TETRAPHTALIUM #ipp.
PENTALEA Loux. (Voreca,Rati)
HYMENANTHREA 1880.
NECKIA Kortha
DELICYPUS Korth
LEGIA RR (Steuaria, Mert)
PASDAYRULA Axii. (Periclitis,Benk)

VIOLA. Recents ripe the sides embankments, the fields some distance; the purple in Braz like the pig breeds fields.
V. caecina that a proud apt to cause skin dis. [So its dissimilar fig selv, Deciduous, in Braz.]

V. coccata sd to be rem for battleak bire.
V. hirtica, HAIRY V. Rhind 586

V. tectoria, bruised los small W. Beach Records; supd to con Beussie and kance; once stuk useful to cure
plu dineBour; still used it in vinos cognits
Rhind 589/

V. odorata, petals used as hearty for cla. I dreacham greatly go teably; seeds by similar yenge; root-emetic, payan.
Aquaeus extract of this is a useful chest root; uncombined acids, stop the blue tred, Faulkles to ffe.
Romans had a wine made of V. Vics; they are sd. to be still used in preparing the Ground Sipper's sherbet.
Some the fire an aneane; they certinly produce fulness &illness in our conditions, as Lily had intined to Triller
ments a case in wh they produced aguebery. SWISS VIOLET Rhind 576

V. pedicellata, the [title Violet Cal] G.D.Haynes "I. best suit itbelong to Adamant Rock & San Jose; promoting in a picture
where cows caus leading; but pelatess turned to the sea caused nearly 'Vorses of ground." The large & upped,
from centres & cup petals brooded beneath. Strigulate, less culms, p 576, concr/ctly.

VIOLETS

An History,romantical Royal oft invention the Violet to, to the Rose & Lvy; as an ornament to the garden & the person. Vavo,beh the
fall of the Republ advised these having land near Rome to plantV and verses as a prophetic speculation,& names the best season for doing so; Heliotapa
has his palaces rooms carpeted with violets, among other flowers.

Origin in cultur, was from AMiace; ie, as a greedon flower & in its impord
flowers; Ga, for originally vioy. In viola doubtless true it; house cabdains
that its cultivation come from Asia to Ge, thence to it;

Hawes uses in in describing the woodious scenery round Colyssus cave,
whose intrins in moist meadows with the passey [bad-occupancy bre for
Thras; but even bee it means any dark-colored flowers, whether scented
or not," Heim. He uses in also in descriptive adjectives, in-edging
in-droppers, lo-eis, but in reference to dark color, not scent. When
later, the variegated light-colored violet was distinguished from the dark
the light greenish-violet both the gliph/orce/Marxialis because, & the
medicines Chamaeautis chief.

Parrice says Hermy with the poets over since Homer wrote of it, as he had seen it
many a time in the far-off vale, in the "richy banks" of the Meles. "Ev who aspired
Meadows of sweet verdure, purpled for With violet, it was a scene to fill
A fold from Heaven with wonder and delight.