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:

plant collecting and fieldwork in South America medicinal, culinary, or other traditional uses of plants chromosomes and plant classification early herbals and botanical illustrations botanical institutions exchanging plants, seeds, and specimens microscopy and photomicrography in botanical research How did botanists and gardeners introduce plants from one region to another? grafting, budding, and propagation of tropical fruit crops

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 8 · DO #4644 · 231_Rogers_Bx2FF6_r

Collection
David James Rogers (1918–2007) papers
Item/Folder
Roger's Class Notes, 1948
Digital Object
DO #4644, page 8
Collection-level dates
1948–1977
Open PDF at page 8 ↗

Page transcription

4. Sub-class MONOCHLAMYDEAE:--calyx and corolla reduced to a single envelope.

152. Nyctaginaceae 165. Begoniaceae*
153. Amaranthaceae 166. Euphorbiaceae*
154. Chenopodiaceae 167. Monimiaceae *
155. Phytolaccaceae 168. Urticaceae
156. Polygonaceae 169. Chloranthaceae
157. Lauraceae 170. Piperaceae
158. Myristicaceae 171. Juglandaceae
159. Proteaceae 172. Anacardiaceae
160. Thymelaeace 173. Casuarinaceae
161. Santalaceae 174. Coniferae
162. Elaeagnaceae 175. Cycadaceae
163. Aristolochiaceae
164. Cytimaceae

B. MONOCOTYLEDONES (ENDOCENIE):--vascular tissues in scattered bundles; embryo with solitary or alternate cotyledons.

176. Hydrocharitaceae 191. Liliaceae
177. Alismataceae 192. Pontederiaceae
178. Podostemoneaceae 193. Colchicaceae
179. Najadaceae 194. Butomaceae
180. Orchidaceae 195. Juncaceae
181. Drymyriaceae 196. Restionaceae
182. Cannaceae 197. Cornellaceae
183. Musaceae 198. Palmaceae
184. Iridaceae 199. Pandanaceae
185. Haemodoraceae 200. Typhaceae
186. Amaryllidaceae 201. Araceae
187. Dioscoreaceae 202. Cyperaceae
188. Smilacaceae 203. Gramineae
189. Hypoxidaceae
190. Gilleesiaceae

II. CRYPTOGAMAE:--composed entirely of cellular tissue; sexual organs lacking, or having reproductive organs very different from those of the Phanerogams.

A. AETHEOGAMS (SEMI-VASCULAR CRYPTOGAMS):--sex organs present; vascular tissue present, at least during some phase of the life of the plant.

1. Vascular tissue and stomata present.

204. Equisetaceae
205. Marsiliaceae
206. Lycopodiaceae
207. Ferns

2. Vascular tissue and stomata rare or absent.

208. Mosses
209. Liverworts

B. AMPHIGAMS (CELLULAR CRYPTOGAMS):--sex organs and vascular tissues absent.

210. Michenes
211. Hygrolyoms (Pyrenomycetes)
212. Fungi
213. Algae

CONDENSED OUTLINE OF THE SYSTEM

I. PHANEROGAMAE
A. Class EXOGENAE (Dicots)
1. Sub-class THALAMIFLORA
2. Sub-class CALYCLIFLORA
3. Sub-class COROLLIFLORA
4. Sub-class MONOCHLAMYDEAE
B. Class ENDOGENAE (Monocots)

II. CRYPTOGAMAE
A. Class AETHEOGAMS (Bryophytes and Pteridophytes)
B. Class AMPHIGAMS (Thallophytes)