Verify Plant Names

Validate complete botanical name strings against the versioned Australian Plant Census/APNI backbone and 11 global taxonomic sources. Existing response fields remain stable; APC/APNI resolution and review-only AI suggestions are additive.

Overview

This endpoint queries APC/APNI and 11 botanical databases in parallel, consolidates authoritative results, and returns a unified taxonomic record per input. Exact APC accepted names and explicit synonym links can validate independently. Fuzzy, APNI-only, split, and conflicting results remain uncertain until corroborated or reviewed. Names that no authoritative source resolves may receive a Gemini suggestion, but AI never participates in consensus or species identity. Sources queried: APC/APNI, GBIF, TNRS (WFO), POWO (Kew), iNaturalist, EOL, ALA, IP Australia PBR, UPOV, WikiSpecies, Wikidata, Wikipedia.

Australian name resolution

For names found in APC or APNI, SuperSeeded uses an open-source Rust port of APCalign. It follows APCalign’s ordered approach to accepted names, synonyms, spelling variants, authorship, infraspecific ranks, hybrids, phrase names, and conservative typo correction against a fixed backbone release. This makes the result predictable and reviewable: exact APC accepted names and explicit synonym links can validate directly, while spelling corrections, APNI-only names, taxonomic splits, and ambiguous matches set review_required: true. Check alternatives before selecting a taxon when review is required. The backbone_version and resolver_version fields identify the data and resolver versions used for the result.

Input Options

This endpoint accepts input in three ways:

1. JSON Body with Species Names Array

curl -X POST https://api.superseeded.ai/v1/verify/plant-names \
  -H "X-API-Key: sk_..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "species_names": [
      "Eucalyptus globulus",
      "Acacia melanoxylon",
      "Banksia integrifolia"
    ]
  }'

2. JSON Body with File URL (TUS Upload)

For files uploaded via TUS protocol. Names are pre-parsed by LLM, so no additional extraction is performed.

curl -X POST https://api.superseeded.ai/v1/verify/plant-names \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <delegation_token>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "file_url": "https://secure.superseeded.ai/files/abc123",
    "filename": "species_list.xlsx"
  }'

3. Direct File Upload (Multipart)

Upload files directly without TUS:

curl -X POST https://api.superseeded.ai/v1/verify/plant-names \
  -H "X-API-Key: sk_..." \
  -F "file=@plant_schedule.xlsx" \
  -F "extraction_column=Species"

Request Body (JSON)

string[]

An array of complete plant-name strings to validate. Authorship, infraspecific ranks, hybrid markers, cultivars, and phrase names are preserved. Takes precedence over file inputs.

file

URL to a previously uploaded file (from TUS storage). Names are pre-parsed via LLM.Tip: You can use the file input dialog in this playground to test with a local file.

string

Original filename for context when using file_url.

string

Specific column name containing species names in spreadsheet files.

string[]

Specific authoritative sources to query. Defaults to APC/APNI plus all 11 existing non-Gemini sources. Explicit lists are honored. Gemini is not a consensus source.Available: apc_apni, gbif, tnrs, powo, inaturalist, eol, ala, ip_australia, upov, wikispecies, wikidata, wikipedia

boolean

default:"true"

Include detailed taxonomic metadata in results.

boolean

default:"true"

Cache validation results for future queries.

Form Data (Multipart Upload)

file

Direct file upload. Supports: JSON, XLSX, XLS, CSV, PDF, TXT.

string

Column name containing species names for spreadsheet files.

Response

The response contains an array of unified taxonomic records and a summary.

object[]

Array of unified taxonomic records, one per species name.

Show Unified Taxonomic Record

object

Query information.

Show properties

string

Original species name as submitted.

string

Lowercase, trimmed version used for matching.

string

ISO 8601 timestamp of the query.

object

Validation status and confidence scoring.

Show properties

string

Validation result: validated, uncertain, or not_found.

string

Confidence level: high, medium, or low.

number

0.0-1.0 score based on source agreement.

integer

Number of authoritative sources attempted, including no-match and failed sources.

integer

Number of sources with a match.

object

Counts of exact_matches, inexact_matches, no_match.

string[]

Attempted sources that failed independently of no-match results.

object

Optional APC/APNI resolution containing backbone, backbone_version, aligned_name, suggested_name, match_kind, alignment_code, taxonomic_dataset, alternatives, and review_required.

object[]

Review-required AI suggestions. AI-only responses remain not_found, have no accepted name, and are never synchronized into species identity.

object[]

Operational source failures, reported separately from authoritative no-match results.

object

The determined correct scientific name.

Show properties

string

Accepted scientific name determined by weighted consensus.

string

Taxonomic author (e.g. “Labill.”).

string

accepted, synonym, unresolved, or not_found.

object[]

Common names with language and region.

string

Rank: species, subspecies, variety, etc.

object

Complete taxonomic classification.

Show properties

string

Always “Plantae”.

string

Plant family (e.g. “Myrtaceae”).

string

Genus name.

string

Species epithet.

string

Subspecies if applicable.

string

Variety if applicable.

object

Database IDs for deep linking.

Show properties

string

GBIF taxon key.

string

World Flora Online ID.

string

Plants of the World Online ID.

string

Encyclopedia of Life page ID.

string

Atlas of Living Australia GUID.

string

Wikidata entity ID.

string

iNaturalist taxon ID.

string[]

IP Australia PBR identifiers.

string

UPOV variety code.

object

Processing metadata.

Show properties

number

Overall data quality (0.0-1.0).

string

API version.

number

Processing time.

string

APCalign Rust resolver version, when used.

string[]

Any data quality warnings or conflicts.

string[]

Informational notes about validation.

object

Batch validation summary.

Show properties

integer

Total species processed.

integer

Count with validated status.

integer

Count with uncertain status.

integer

Count with not_found status.

Example Response

{
  "results": [
    {
      "query": {
        "submitted_name": "Eucalyptus globulus",
        "normalized_name": "eucalyptus globulus",
        "query_timestamp": "2025-01-15T10:30:00Z"
      },
      "validation": {
        "status": "validated",
        "confidence": "high",
        "consensus_score": 0.98,
        "sources_checked": 12,
        "sources_matched": 9,
        "match_summary": {
          "exact_matches": 8,
          "inexact_matches": 1,
          "no_match": 2
        },
        "source_failures": []
      },
      "resolution": {
        "backbone": "APC/APNI",
        "backbone_version": "2026-03-25",
        "aligned_name": "Eucalyptus globulus",
        "suggested_name": "Eucalyptus globulus Labill.",
        "match_kind": "exact_accepted",
        "alignment_code": "match_01c_accepted_canonical_name",
        "taxonomic_dataset": "APC",
        "alternatives": ["Eucalyptus globulus Labill."],
        "review_required": false
      },
      "suggestions": [],
      "source_failures": [],
      "accepted_name": {
        "scientific_name": "Eucalyptus globulus",
        "author": "Labill.",
        "nomenclatural_status": "accepted",
        "common_names": [
          {
            "name": "Tasmanian Blue Gum",
            "language": "en",
            "region": "Global"
          }
        ],
        "taxonomic_rank": "species"
      },
      "taxonomy": {
        "kingdom": "Plantae",
        "family": "Myrtaceae",
        "genus": "Eucalyptus",
        "species": "globulus",
        "subspecies": null,
        "variety": null
      },
      "cross_references": {
        "gbif_id": "3176787",
        "wfo_id": "946382",
        "powo_id": "urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30001419-2",
        "eol_id": "301421",
        "ala_guid": "https://id.biodiversity.org.au/taxon/apni/51440555",
        "wikidata_id": "Q159528",
        "inaturalist_taxon_id": "53398",
        "pbr_numbers": ["1990/106"],
        "upov_code": "EUCAL_GLO"
      },
      "metadata": {
        "version": "1.0",
        "api_version": "1.0.0",
        "quality_score": 0.9,
        "processing_time_seconds": 4.67,
        "resolver_version": "0.1.0"
      },
      "warnings": [],
      "notes": [
        "Name validated against 9 authoritative botanical databases",
        "Confirmed by: Taxonomic Name Resolution Service (WFO), Plants of the World Online (Kew Gardens), Global Biodiversity Information Facility"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "summary": {
    "total": 1,
    "validated": 1,
    "uncertain": 0,
    "not_found": 0
  }
}

Authentication

string

Your API key for Basic/Pro plan authentication.

string

Bearer token for Teams plan platform integration.

Supported File Formats

Format	Extension	Description
JSON	`.json`	Direct arrays of species names
Excel	`.xlsx`, `.xls`	Spreadsheets with species columns
CSV	`.csv`	Comma-separated values
PDF	`.pdf`	Text extraction from documents
Text	`.txt`	One species per line or comma-separated

Error Handling

Status Code	Description
200	Success
400	Bad request (invalid input, missing species names, invalid source)
401	Unauthorized (invalid or missing API key)
403	Forbidden (API key inactive, expired, or usage limit exceeded)
500	Internal server error

Rate Limits

API usage is tracked per API key
Each species name processed counts as 1 usage unit
Rate limits vary by subscription plan
Batch processing is more efficient for large datasets

API documentation

Endpoints

Overview

Australian name resolution

Input Options

1. JSON Body with Species Names Array

2. JSON Body with File URL (TUS Upload)

3. Direct File Upload (Multipart)

Request Body (JSON)

Form Data (Multipart Upload)

Response

Example Response

Authentication

Supported File Formats

Error Handling

Rate Limits

​Overview

​Australian name resolution

​Input Options

​1. JSON Body with Species Names Array

​2. JSON Body with File URL (TUS Upload)

​3. Direct File Upload (Multipart)

​Request Body (JSON)

​Form Data (Multipart Upload)

​Response

​Example Response

​Authentication

​Supported File Formats

​Error Handling

​Rate Limits

Overview

Australian name resolution

Input Options

1. JSON Body with Species Names Array

2. JSON Body with File URL (TUS Upload)

3. Direct File Upload (Multipart)

Request Body (JSON)

Form Data (Multipart Upload)

Response

Example Response

Authentication

Supported File Formats

Error Handling

Rate Limits