IPNI Plant Names Search

🌿 Search IPNI plant names with useful context

For botanists, herbarium teams, taxonomy researchers, and data builders, IPNI Plant Names Search turns plant names, genus or species terms, author abbreviations, and free text into a structured dataset of nomenclatural records. Get scientific names, taxonomic parts, authorship, publication citations, source IDs, IPNI links, and Biodiversity Heritage Library evidence in one run.

• Search POWO terms and save matching IPNI nomenclature records.
• Search IPNI plant names to collect names, citations, and source links.
• Look up an International Plant Names Index term and keep its returned identifiers.
• Check Kew Plants of the World terms against IPNI nomenclature data.
• Build a Plants names list from several submitted search terms.
• Inspect a WFO plant list entry with its citation details.

🌱 IPNI nomenclature records

Each dataset row keeps the submitted search term that first found the source record. If a later term finds the same source record, the saved row keeps that first match. Stable IPNI IDs and source links help you join the data to other work and check the original entry.

Returned data

Rows can include scientific names, nomenclatural rank, family, genus, species, infraspecies, abbreviated authorship, full author-team provenance, publication citations, BHL scan links, suppression status, and a Plants of the World Online presence flag. Details can also include original remarks and type locations.

▶️ Search IPNI across terms

Submit one or more search terms, choose record types for every term, and optionally request more details. Leave Maximum records empty to return all available records until the IPNI source is exhausted. Add a maximum when you want to shorten a large run. You do not need to provide IPNI credentials because the source records are public.

⚙️ Input

Enter one or more terms and choose the records you need. Record type choices apply to every submitted term.

Field	Type	What it does
searchTerms	array of strings	Searches plant names, genus or species terms, author abbreviations, or other text. Submit one or more values.
recordTypes	array of strings	Applies to every search term. Choose citation, author, or publication. Citation records include nomenclatural name records.
maxItems	integer, optional	Stops after this many matching records across the run. Leave it empty to return all available records until the IPNI source is exhausted.
includeDetails	boolean	Requests original remarks, type locations, and richer Biodiversity Heritage Library links for each matching record.

Input fields

The following is the public default input from a successful current-beta run:

{
  "searchTerms": [
    "Quercus"
  ],
  "recordTypes": [
    "citation",
    "author",
    "publication"
  ],
  "maxItems": 100,
  "includeDetails": false
}

🧾 Output

The output link opens the records saved in the default dataset. Citation, author, and publication records use the same public shape. IPNI may omit fields that do not apply to a record or that the source does not provide.

Dataset record

Field	Type	What it does
searchTerm	string	The term that first found this record.
recordType	string	The IPNI record type: citation, author, or publication.
ipniId	string	Stable IPNI identifier for the record.
ipniUrl	URL	Link to the record in IPNI.
scientificName	string	Scientific name for the match, when IPNI provides one.
rank	string	Nomenclatural rank, when IPNI provides one.
taxonomy	object	Taxonomic parts of the name, when available.
taxonomy.family	string	Plant family, when available.
taxonomy.genus	string	Genus, when available.
taxonomy.species	string	Species part of the name, when available.
taxonomy.infraspecies	string	Infraspecies part of the name, when available.
authorship	object	Abbreviated and full authorship data, when available.
authorship.abbreviation	string	Abbreviated authorship for the record.
authorship.authorTeam	string	Full author-team provenance as source JSON text.
publication	object	Publication and citation data, when available.
publication.protologue	string	Protologue publication for the name.
publication.year	integer	Publication year, when available.
publication.literatureReference	string	Full literature reference, when available.
publication.collation	string	Page, volume, or other collation details.
bhl	object	Biodiversity Heritage Library evidence, when available.
bhl.hasScan	boolean	Whether a BHL scan is available.
bhl.url	URL	Main BHL link, when available.
bhl.links	array of URLs	Other BHL links returned by IPNI.
isSuppressed	boolean	Whether IPNI marks the record as suppressed.
hasPowoRecord	boolean	Whether IPNI reports a Plants of the World Online record for the name.
remarks	string	Original remarks, when IPNI provides them.
typeLocations	array of strings	Type locations returned when record details are requested.

Standard record

This genuine row comes from the current beta run with Quercus and record details turned off:

{
  "searchTerm": "Quercus",
  "recordType": "citation",
  "ipniId": "108963-1",
  "ipniUrl": "https://www.ipni.org/n/108963-1",
  "bhl": {
    "hasScan": true,
    "url": "http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft.date=1785&rft.issue=2&rft.spage=417&rft.volume=1&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/824&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004",
    "links": [
      "http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft.date=1785&rft.issue=2&rft.spage=417&rft.volume=1&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/824&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004",
      "http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33068974&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004",
      "http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/824&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004"
    ]
  },
  "scientificName": "Bignonia quercus",
  "rank": "spec.",
  "taxonomy": {
    "family": "Bignoniaceae",
    "genus": "Bignonia",
    "species": "quercus"
  },
  "authorship": {
    "abbreviation": "Lam.",
    "authorTeam": "[{\"name\":\"Lam.\",\"id\":\"5227-1\",\"order\":1,\"type\":\"aut\",\"summary\":null,\"url\":\"/a/5227-1\"}]"
  },
  "publication": {
    "protologue": "Encycl. [J. Lamarck & al.]",
    "year": 1785,
    "literatureReference": "Encycl. [J. Lamarck & al.] 1(2): 417. 1785 [1 Aug 1785]",
    "collation": "1(2): 417"
  },
  "isSuppressed": false,
  "hasPowoRecord": true
}

Detailed record

This genuine row comes from the current beta run with Poa annua and record details turned on:

{
  "searchTerm": "Poa annua",
  "recordType": "citation",
  "ipniId": "320035-2",
  "ipniUrl": "https://www.ipni.org/n/320035-2",
  "bhl": {
    "hasScan": true,
    "url": "http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft.date=1753&rft.spage=68&rft.volume=1&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/669&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004",
    "links": [
      "http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft.date=1753&rft.spage=68&rft.volume=1&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/669&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004",
      "http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33355180&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004",
      "http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/669&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004"
    ]
  },
  "scientificName": "Poa annua",
  "rank": "spec.",
  "taxonomy": {
    "family": "Poaceae",
    "genus": "Poa",
    "species": "annua"
  },
  "authorship": {
    "abbreviation": "L.",
    "authorTeam": "[{\"name\":\"L.\",\"id\":\"12653-1\",\"order\":0,\"type\":\"aut\",\"summary\":\"Linnaeus, Carl (1707-1778)\",\"url\":\"/a/12653-1\"}]"
  },
  "publication": {
    "protologue": "Sp. Pl.",
    "year": 1753,
    "literatureReference": "Sp. Pl. 1: 68. 1753 [1 May 1753]",
    "collation": "1: 68"
  },
  "isSuppressed": false,
  "hasPowoRecord": true,
  "typeLocations": [
    "LINN"
  ]
}

💳 Pricing

Charged event

The charged event is Nomenclature entry. It costs $0.00045 for each successfully returned nomenclature record saved to your dataset. The total depends on the matches, record types, details setting, and maximum you choose.

🔌 Integrations

Use the Apify API to start runs and read the default dataset. Export saved records from Apify in standard data formats.

For a short guide to using Actor data:

❓ FAQ

Can I search several terms in one run?

Yes. Submit a list of terms and the Actor searches them in one run. The record type choices apply to every term. If the same source record matches more than one term, the saved row keeps the first term that found it.

What do the record type choices return?

Choose citation records for nomenclatural name records, or choose author and publication records for those source record types. You can choose more than one type for the same run.

What does Include record details add?

It requests original remarks, type locations, and richer Biodiversity Heritage Library links for each matching record. Turn it on when those extra source details matter more than a shorter run.

Does this provide accepted taxonomy or species distributions?

No. This Actor searches IPNI nomenclatural records. The hasPowoRecord field is an indicator reported by IPNI, not accepted taxonomy, geographic distribution, or species occurrence data.

What happens when Maximum records is empty?

The Actor returns all available matching records until the IPNI source is exhausted. Set a maximum when you want to keep a large run shorter.

Do I need IPNI credentials?

No. The Actor uses public IPNI records, so you do not need to provide source credentials.

What does IPNI mean?

IPNI means International Plant Names Index. It is a public source for published plant nomenclature records.

Can I use this with Plants of the World Online or POWO?

The output can show whether IPNI reports a Plants of the World Online record for a name. It does not replace an accepted-taxonomy or distribution source, so use a separate source when you need those fields.

📝 Changelog

0.0: Initial release

🆘 Support

For issues, questions, or feature requests, file a ticket and I'll fix or implement it in less than 24h 🫡

🔗 Related Actors

• URL to BibTeX Converter turns public publication URLs into BibTeX citations for reference lists.
• ORCID Researcher Profile Search adds public researcher profiles, affiliations, works, and author identifiers to author-focused research.
• International Plant Names Index (IPNI) Scraper is a direct alternative for bulk IPNI nomenclature extraction.
• Kew POWO Plants of the World Online Scraper helps when you need accepted taxonomy, distribution, and synonym data alongside IPNI nomenclature.
• BGCI GlobalTreeSearch Tree Species Scraper helps build tree-species datasets with conservation and geographic context.

Made with ❤️ by Maxime Dupré