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.

← Back to results

Page 4 · DO #403 · 204_Popenoe_Bx30aFF4r

Collection
Wilson Popenoe (1892–1975) family papers
Item/Folder
Economic Botany of Guatemala and "Plant Resources of Honduras" articles for Chronica Botanica - correspondence, 13 May 1941–22 March 1942
Digital Object
DO #403, page 4
Collection-level dates
1882–1975
Open PDF at page 4 ↗

Page transcription

List of Chapters and Collaborators
"PLANT SCIENCE IN LATIN AMERICA"

1. Geology and Geography (W. C. Darrah, Cambridge, Mass.).
2. Meteorology (R. G. Stone, Washington, D.C.).
3. Soil Science (N. J. Volk, Auburn, Ala.).
4. Origin of the Neotropical Flora (W. C. Darrah, Cambridge, Mass.).
5. Plant Geography (reserved for I. M. Johnston, who is abroad).
6. The Study of the Neotropical Flora (G. F. Blake, Washington, D.C.).
7. Plant Resources (F. R. Fosberg, Washington, D.C.).
8. Land Planning and Land Use (P. E. James, Ann Arbor, Mich.).
9. Travel and Exploration (W. A. Archer, Washington, D.C.).

* * *

10. Vegetation of Mexico (I. Ochoterena, Mexico, D. F.).
11. Agronomy and Horticulture in Mexico (reserved for J. H. Kempton, who is abroad).
12. Forestry in Mexico (E. F. Meyer, Philadelphia, Pa.).
13. Phytopathology in Mexico (E. C. Stakman, St. Paul, Minn.).
14. Vegetation of Guatemala (J. A. Steyermark, Chicago, Ill.).
15. Plant Resources of Guatemala (W. Popenoe, Santa Marta, Colombia).
16. Vegetation and Plant Resources of B. Honduras (C. L. Lundell, Ann Arbor, Mich.).
17. Vegetation of Honduras (T. G. Yuncker, Greencastle, Ind.).
18. Plant Resources of Honduras (in correspondence with Dr. Popenoe).
19. Vegetation of Salvador (P. C. Standley, Chicago, Ill.).
20. Plant Resources of Salvador (in correspondence).
21. Vegetation of Nicaragua (P. C. Standley, Chicago, Ill.).
22. Plant Resources of Nicaragua (C. L. Luedtke, Panama).
23. Vegetation of Costa Rica (P. C. Standley, Chicago, Ill.).
24. Plant Resources of Costa Rica (A. F. Skutch, San Isidro del General).
25. Vegetation of the Panamas (R. E. Woodson, St. Louis, Mo.).
26. Plant Resources of the Panamas (in correspondence with Mr. Zetek).
27. Vegetation of Cuba (J. P. Carabia, Havana).
28. Plant Resources of Cuba (J. T. Roig y Mesa and J. Acuña, Havana).
29. Vegetation of Jamaica (F. Shreve, Tucson, Ariz.).
30. Plant Resources of Jamaica (in correspondence with Mr. G. A. Jones).
31. Vegetation of Hispaniola (E. C. Leonard, Washington, D.C.).
32. Plant Resources of Hispaniola (A. Lee, Mayagüez).
33. Vegetation of Puerto Rico (in correspondence).
34. Plant Resources of Puerto Rico (Claud L. Horn, Mayagüez).
35. Vegetation of the Lesser Antilles (W. H. Hodge, Cambridge, Mass.).
36. Plant Resources of the Lesser Antilles (W. H. Hodge, Cambridge, Mass.).
37. Vegetation of Trinidad and Tobago (J. S. Beard, Port of Spain).
38. Plant Resources of Trinidad and Tobago (in correspondence with Mr. Wortley).
39. Forestry in the Caribbean (Dr. Bevan and collaborators).
40. Vegetation and Plant Resources of Colombia (A. Dugand, Bogotá).
41. Vegetation of Venezuela (Dr. Pittier and collaborators).
42. Plant Resources of Venezuela (Dr. Pittier and collaborators).
43. Vegetation of the Guianas (A. C. Smith, Jamaica Plain, Mass.).
44. Plant Resources of Netherlands Guiana (G. Stahel, Paramaribo).
45. Plant Resources of British Guiana (J. Sydney Dash, Georgetown).
46. Vegetation of Ecuador (H. K. Svenson, Brooklyn, N.Y.).
47. Plant Resources of Ecuador (E. Molestina, Quito).
48. Vegetation of Peru (L. Williams, Chicago, Ill.).
49. Plant Resources of Peru (F. L. Herrera, Lima).
50. Vegetation of Brazil (Lyman B. Smith, Cambridge, Mass.).