Species Name Validation

Overview

The Species Name Validation API ensures data quality in plant schedules and botanical datasets by validating species names against 11 authoritative databases. This is essential for:

Plant schedule validation before procurement
Data quality assurance in botanical datasets
Taxonomic standardization across different data sources
Compliance verification for landscape projects

How It Works

Multi-Source Validation with Consensus Scoring

The API queries 11 botanical databases in parallel and consolidates the results into a single unified taxonomic record using consensus scoring.

Parallel Database Search

All 11 taxonomic databases are queried simultaneously for each species name.

Consensus Scoring

Results are consolidated using an algorithm that favours authoritative sources to determine the accepted scientific name.

AI Fallback

Any names with zero matches across all databases are sent to an AI model for corrective resolution of misspellings or loose descriptions.

Unified Record

Each species receives a single unified taxonomic record with validation status, accepted name, taxonomy, cross-references, and quality score.

Validation Status

Each species name receives a clear validation status based on source consensus:

Validated

High confidenceMultiple sources agree on the accepted name. Ready for use in plant schedules.

Uncertain

Medium confidenceSome sources matched but with disagreements or only inexact matches. Requires review.

Not Found

Low confidenceNo matches found in any database. Name likely needs correction.

Quality Score

Every record includes a quality score (0.0-1.0) based on how many sources agree, how complete the taxonomic data is, and how many cross-reference IDs were found.

Common Use Cases

Plant Schedule Validation

The primary use case is validating botanical names in plant schedules before procurement:

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"
    ]
  }'

The response provides a clear validation summary:

Validated: Proceed with confidence
Uncertain: Flag for expert review
Not found: Require correction before procurement

File Upload Validation

Upload an entire plant schedule for batch validation:

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

Data Quality Assurance

For botanical datasets, validation identifies questionable entries:

{
  "species_names": [
    "Eucalyptus globulus",
    "Eucalyptus globular",
    "Unknown species xyz"
  ]
}

Eucalyptus globulus — Validated across multiple sources
Eucalyptus globular — AI fallback may suggest the correct spelling
Unknown species xyz — Returned as not found with warnings

Data Sources

Authoritative Taxonomic Databases

TNRS (WFO)

World Flora OnlineTaxonomic name validation and resolution.

POWO

Royal Botanic Gardens, KewAuthoritative plant taxonomy and accepted names.

GBIF

Global Biodiversity Information FacilityLargest biodiversity database with vernacular names.

ALA

Atlas of Living AustraliaAustralian-specific plant data and occurrences.

Enrichment Sources

iNaturalist

Community science observations and photos.

EOL

Encyclopedia of Life — species descriptions.

IP Australia PBR

Plant Breeders Rights and variety protection.

UPOV

International plant variety protection codes.

Knowledge Bases

WikiSpecies

Wikimedia species directory.

Wikidata

Structured data and images.

Wikipedia

General information and taxonomy.

AI Fallback

AI Correction

Fallback only — Used when all other sources return no match.Corrects misspelled or loosely described plant names. Only resolves names from the Plantae kingdom.

Source Roles

The consensus algorithm prioritises authoritative taxonomic databases when determining the accepted name:

Source	Role
TNRS (WFO)	Taxonomic authority
POWO (Kew)	Botanical authority
GBIF	Biodiversity database
ALA	Regional authority (AU)
IP Australia	Cultivar authority
UPOV	Variety authority
iNaturalist	Observations
Wikidata	Structured data
WikiSpecies	Species directory
EOL	Encyclopedia
Wikipedia	General reference

Integration Patterns

Frontend Integration

The API implements the same validation logic as the SuperSeeded web application:

const response = await fetch('/v1/verify/plant-names', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-API-Key': 'sk_...',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    species_names: ['Eucalyptus globulus', 'Acacia melanoxylon']
  })
});

const { results, summary } = await response.json();
console.log(`${summary.validated}/${summary.total} names validated`);

Batch Processing

Small Datasets (< 100 species)
Large Datasets (100+ species)

{
  "species_names": ["Species 1", "Species 2", "..."]
}

Direct JSON submission for quick validation.

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

File upload for efficient batch processing.

Workflow Integration

Upload Plant Schedule

Designer uploads Excel/CSV file with botanical names.

Validate Species Names

API queries 11 databases and consolidates results with consensus scoring.

Review Flagged Items

System highlights uncertain or not-found names for expert review, with suggested corrections from the AI fallback.

Proceed with Procurement

Validated schedule with accepted names, families, and cross-references proceeds to availability checking.

Error Handling

API Rate Limits: Each species name counts as 1 usage unit. Monitor your usage to avoid hitting rate limits.

Source Failures: If individual sources are unavailable, the API gracefully degrades and returns results from the remaining sources. Validation status reflects the available data.

Error Response Examples

{
  "detail": "No valid species names found in input"
}

{
  "detail": "API Key usage limit exceeded"
}

Species Name Validation

Overview

How It Works

Multi-Source Validation with Consensus Scoring

Validation Status

Validated

Uncertain

Not Found

Quality Score

Common Use Cases

Plant Schedule Validation

File Upload Validation

Data Quality Assurance

Data Sources

Authoritative Taxonomic Databases

TNRS (WFO)

POWO

GBIF

ALA

Enrichment Sources

iNaturalist

EOL

IP Australia PBR

UPOV

Knowledge Bases

WikiSpecies

Wikidata

Wikipedia

AI Fallback

AI Correction

Source Roles

Integration Patterns

Frontend Integration

Batch Processing

Workflow Integration

Error Handling

Error Response Examples

Next Steps

API Reference

Integration Examples

Documentation Index

​Overview

​How It Works

​Multi-Source Validation with Consensus Scoring

​Validation Status

Validated

Uncertain

Not Found

​Quality Score

​Common Use Cases

​Plant Schedule Validation

​File Upload Validation

​Data Quality Assurance

​Data Sources

​Authoritative Taxonomic Databases

TNRS (WFO)

POWO

GBIF

ALA

​Enrichment Sources

iNaturalist

EOL

IP Australia PBR

UPOV

​Knowledge Bases

WikiSpecies

Wikidata

Wikipedia

​AI Fallback

AI Correction

​Source Roles

​Integration Patterns

​Frontend Integration

​Batch Processing

​Workflow Integration

​Error Handling

​Error Response Examples

​Next Steps

API Reference

Integration Examples

Overview

How It Works

Multi-Source Validation with Consensus Scoring

Validation Status

Quality Score

Common Use Cases

Plant Schedule Validation

File Upload Validation

Data Quality Assurance

Data Sources

Authoritative Taxonomic Databases

Enrichment Sources

Knowledge Bases

AI Fallback

Source Roles

Integration Patterns

Frontend Integration

Batch Processing

Workflow Integration

Error Handling

Error Response Examples

Next Steps