I have a question for those either familiar with copyright law or those in the scientific community. I am wondering if copyrights are applicable to a species description. For example, I am going to be building a website where I would like to have very accurate species descriptions for Utricularia along with detailed care information for each species, I am wondering if I can obtain these from the original publication where the species was described or from a source like Taylor’s monograph. I understand that facts cannot be copyrighted but cannot generally be copied word for word, things need to be put into your own words…. but I feel that with a species description such as,
Does anyone have any opinions or experience with this? Sources of the information would be cited…
Thanks!
cannot and should not be changed as rewording it to make it your own may change meaning or interpretation. I also think that keeping the description the same from publication to publication would serve the purpose of keeping everyone on the same page. Additionally the purpose of the site that I would like to build would be to provide information on cultivating the various species and not specifically to provide taxonomic information, the purpose of species description being included would be so that those growing the plant would be able to confirm what they have as many do not have access to Taylor’s book and other publications.Rhizoids absent. Stolons numerous, filiform branched, up to 30cm long, 0.1-0.3 mm thick, internodes 1.5-10 cm long, sometimes swollen at or near the peduncle base, and at the nodes, to form globose or broadly ovoid tubers, 5-6 mm long. Leaves few, 2-4 at the……
Does anyone have any opinions or experience with this? Sources of the information would be cited…
Thanks!