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Scientific Plant Names Dictionary

Version: 2.0 (13 December 2007)

Introduction

This electronic dictionary file is generated from the information systems at the Western Australian Herbarium. It aims to provide an authoritative listing to aid with the correct spelling of these scientific names within common word processing software.

The dictionary file wacensus.dic contains 9,509 entries representing botanical names, at various taxonomic ranks from family to infraspecies, for the native and naturalised flora occurring in Western Australia.

This compares with 9,279 entries in 2004, but note that this version includes non-vascular plant and fungi names now on the Census of Western Australian Plants.

This dictionary is summarised from 15,955 current names (NOT TAXA), drawn from entries for 11,567 dicotyledons, 2,551 monocotyledons, 105 pteridophytes, 24 conifers and cycads, 10 bryophytes, 993 alga, 698 lichens and 7 fungi. It also includes 1,315 alien plant names.

Note: it contains 93,080 characters, and may not be compatible with word processors limited to a single 65,535 character dictionary file.

Compiled by Alex R. Chapman; last updated on 14 December 2007.

Installation for Microsoft Word for Windows

Download and unzip wacensus.zip to a temporary directory. It contains two files: wacensus.dic and install.txt.
Find the folder where the dictionary file needs to be placed. Depending on the software version, this may be: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Proof
or
C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof
where "user" is your login name.

Hint 1: in Word, select Tools | Options | Spelling & Grammar, click the "Dictionaries..." button, where the default path for custom.dic should be visible.

Hint 2: In Windows Explorer, if you can't see the folder you need to get to (eg. Application Data), select Tools | Folder Options | View from the menu and ensure "Show system files and folders" is selected in Advanced Settings, then click OK.
Copy the file wacensus.dic to the Proof folder.
Start Word, select Tools | Options | Spelling & Grammar, click the "Dictionaries..." button then "Add". Select the folder where you have placed wacensus.dic from the dialog box.

Hint 3: before exiting, ensure you now have both custom.dic and wacensus.dic selected for use.

For other word processors, consult the relevant manual for how to install custom dictionaries.