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Create and share an observation

An “observation” in Pl@ntNet is a record of a plant you have encountered in your environment. It includes:

  • One or more photos of the plant.

  • An observation date.

  • A geolocation (optional).

  • An identification.

  • Optionally, additional information about the location or the plant.

Minimum requirements: An observation must include at least one photo and a date.

Creating observations

  1. Open the Pl@ntNet application and log in to your account.

  2. Go to the “Identify” tab.

  3. Take one or more photos of the plant to be identified, ensuring that you:

    • Take sharp, well-framed photos.
    • Ideally eliminate disruptive elements such as manufactured objects around the plant.
    • Capture different angles, including close-ups of leaves, flowers and fruits if available.
    • Check that the lighting is adequate to avoid excessive shadows and blur.

  4. Launch the identification:

    • Launch the search in Pl@ntNet. The algorithm will compare your image with millions of other images validated by the community.
    • The application returns a list of species ranked by decreasing percentage of certainty.
    • You can apply filters on families or genera to better target your results if you wish.

  5. Explore the galleries to validate the identification:

    • Browse the gallery images to help you choose the right species. These galleries are made up of images validated by the community.
    • Links to species sheets are also available to help you in your choice.

  6. Validate the correct identification:

    • If you are unsure of the species, you can simply enter the genus or share your observation without identification. But feel free to share, other members of the community can correct your mistakes.

  7. Add additional details:

    • Location : Geolocation is automatically added if your GPS is activated. You can also enter it manually if necessary.
    • Notes : Include details about the plant’s habitat, its environment, or any other relevant information if available.

  8. Share your data with the community: Once your observation is created you can:

    • Share your observation with the community.
    • Keep your observations private.

Why share your observations?

By sharing your observations you:

  1. Contribute to science You participate in the collection of botanical data on a global scale. Your data is used by researchers to better understand plant diversity, its evolution and the threats it faces.

  2. Benefit from the community’s experience The Pl@ntNet community can validate or correct your identifications, enrich your knowledge and encourage the exchange of experiences.

  3. Improve the identification tool Each shared observation enriches the database and improves the performance of the identification tool, making it more accurate and efficient.

  4. Support biodiversity preservation By documenting plant diversity, you help to raise awareness and support conservation efforts for habitats and species.