The inspiration to create this type of website comes from a couple of places.

One source is from reading about the life of Alexander von Humboldt, the famed polymath, geographer, naturalist and explorer, in a book called The Invention of Nature, by Andrea Wulf. His methods of recording and describing the physical world seemed to me to highlight the notion that everything is connected to everything. And, as an aside, he was the first person to talk about the notion of human-induced climate change -- more than 200 years ago!

Another source is the artwork of Donald Evans. He painted many beautiful series of stamps issued from imaginary countries. This gave birth to my imaginary country "Philatia," which issued stamps for all those genus-species that weren't commemorated by real countries.


Recently Added Species:

Genus species:
   Crataegus monogyna
Common name:
   Common hawthorn
In pre-modern Europe, hawthorn was used as a charm against witchcraft and vampires – stakes made of hawthorn were considered effective in impaling vampires.
Genus species:
   Picea abies
Common name:
   Norway spruce
Old Tjikko is a 9,550 year-old Norway spruce located in Sweden, is recognized as the oldest living Picea abies and the fourth-oldest known clonal tree.
Genus species:
   Crataegus monogyna
Common name:
   Common hawthorn
In pre-modern Europe, hawthorn was used as a charm against witchcraft and vampires – stakes made of hawthorn were considered effective in impaling vampires.
Genus species:
   Picea abies
Common name:
   Norway spruce
Old Tjikko is a 9,550 year-old Norway spruce located in Sweden, is recognized as the oldest living Picea abies and the fourth-oldest known clonal tree.
Genus species:
   Buteogallus urubitinga
Common name:
   Great black hawk
The hawk wandered away from its normal habitat in Mexico and Latin America last spring, in 2018, flying first to Texas and then, during the summer, all the way to Maine.