This is an issue old as time iNat. Throughout the search boxes on the site, typing the typical abbreviations for subspecies, varieties, and form prevent a successful search. Common joiners are: subsp., ssp., var., f., fo., and forma. Hoping iNat can be a bit more plant and fungi literate. [image] …

I agree, and it would prevent the odd behaviour that if you copy an iNat subsp name directly from the taxon page such as: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/242915-Silphium-integrifolium-laeve and paste it (“Silphium integrifolium var. laeve”) into an ID box it gets no results, you have to then go an…

Oh, this is a great one! There’s another issue with that: when searching external name providers - getting rid of var./subsp. wording doesn’t help at all. Maximum you can do is to search for species and if system finds one - add a flag for var./subsp.

Maybe it could be as simple as getting searches to ignore rank designators like ssp., subsp., var., etc., in search strings. That way one could include them or not and still get the same search results.

Same here. (And also, when adding scientific name for Foo bar var. baz, should we prefer Foo bar var. baz or Foo bar baz ?) update: it seems when one adds Foo bar var. baz, iNat automatically use Foo bar baz as the scientific name. I think this can also be improved.

Find taxa when you type ranks like subsp., var., etc

Feature Requests

DianaStuder May 16, 2023, 8:00am 6

Is there a way to make iNat find

Genus Psoralea

I have a workaround - choose something from the list which includes Psoralea in the name. Delete the unwanted bit. And I get genus Psoralea.

Topic		Replies	Views
What's the point of having "ssp" in scientific names on iNat? General	44	4163	December 19, 2022
Allow users to enter parenthesized subgenus species in the search box: genus (subgenus) species Feature Requests	1	368	August 18, 2023
Adjust Rank Hierarchy so subspecies, variety and forma are not at same level Feature Requests	9	303	January 13, 2025
Subspecies "ssp." abbreviation is incorrect General	46	1815	May 23, 2025
Show people what to do about a missing taxon in taxon search Feature Requests web , mobile-app	5	185	October 18, 2025

Find taxa when you type ranks like subsp., var., etc

Related topics