FREE: Leafsnap tree species identification for iPhone & iPad

[Samuel]

FREE: Leafsnap tree species identification for iPhone & iPad

June 9th, 2011 | Posted in Forestry Education | No comments »

Leafsnap is a revolutionary new electronic field guide for identifying trees.

Unlike any other tree identification app, Leafsnap requires you to use your iPhone or iPad to take a photo of a leaf of the tree you wish you identify. The app then uses visual recognition software to help identify the tree species.

To take a photo of a leaf for identification, you have to place the leaf on a white surface. When you take a photo of the leaf and upload it, you are also sharing that photo, and the geographic coordinates of the leaf's location, with the app developers. Scientists will use this information to "map and monitor the ebb and flow of flora nationwide".

To identify the species, after you upload the photo, visual recognition software analyzes the leaf's shape and features, and quickly returns a ranking of the most likely tree species, along with other characteristics to help confirm the tree's identity.

The app contains high resolution images of a tree's leaves, as well as its flowers, fruit, petiole, seeds, and bark, so you can also just search or scroll through its database of trees and their features without using the photo upload and identification feature.

The app has a tab at the bottom for your own collection. It will keep track of all the different tree species you have identified, and will layout their locations on a map.

The app is being developed by Columbia University, the University of Maryland, and the Smithsonian Institution. When the app debuted in May, it covered only the tree species found in New York's Central park and Washington's Rock Creek Park. By the summer, the developers plan to have all the trees of the Northeastern U.S. included, and eventually plan to include all the trees in North America. Right now, the app indicates it includes 184 species, and has 2590 high-resolution images.

The developers are planning an Android version of the app, and possibly a public API.

[bendjoseph]

I have used this app three times this year.  Works very well.

[John Mc]

I emailed them requesting they add some of the invasive species that are most threatening to our forests to the Northeast database, and flag them as invasive in their description (Common and glossy Buckthorn would be good additions which are not in there now).

I've seen volunteers working on reducing invasive cut down cherry trees or even apple trees.

The Audubon Field Guide to Trees that I have mentions that European (Common) Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) "can be sheared into good hedges. Widely planted in Europe for centuries." The Glossy Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) description at least mentions that "it spreads rapidly and can be a pest", but it also leads off that same paragraph with "Glossy Buckthorn is a handsome ornamental..." 

Hopefully, if Leafsnap adds these, and other invasives, the problems will be prominently featured in the description. (At least Leafsnap's Norway Maple description hints at a problem.)

John Mc

[wmrussel]

I can't wait for the Android version.  I just downloaded the app to my wife's iPhone, but we're in Brazil now.  I'm going to try to see if I can get it to mis-ID trees I know.  See if those Yankees know our trees down here :-)  Should be fun! 

[Leigh Family Farm]

I just downloaded this app. Pretty handy but takes a bit to upload pictures for identification. Also, you need cell service to get an ID back so most back woods areas would be out of the program. Still, it's free.

[John Mc]

... you need cell service to get an ID back so most back woods areas would be out of the program.

On the rare occasions I have use for it, I just bring the leaf back with me. I'm using my daughters iPod touch anyway (no cell phone in it).  LeafSnap and a clinometer app are the only two things I use on it.

[WmFritz]

     I read about this app sometime last Fall or Winter. I thought I read the Android version would be out by summer '12.

[Leigh Family Farm]

....LeafSnap and a clinometer app are the only two things I use on it.

Clinometer? Whats that for?

[beenthere]

The clinometer (inclinometer) will give you heights, such as heights of trees or to the first limb, etc. as well as slopes in % or degrees.

[John Mc]

In the forest, I use it mainly for checking the slope of roads and trails, to get an idea of what is needed for waterbars or broad-based dips. 

I also use it in my solar site evaluation work as a quick check roof slopes and the angle above the horizon of trees (lets you figure what the shading will be for various seasons of the year).

There are two types of clinometer apps that I use.  If you are interested, I'll dig up the names.

One uses the camera: you look at the slope in profile through the camera, and tilt the iPad/iPhone till the slope line up with reference marks on the screen. You then read the degree or percent of slope off a readout on the screen (this one is especially handy for roof slopes). 

With the other style of app, you sight along the edge of the case, aiming up or down the slope. Give a tap when you are sighted to lock the reading (or set it to "auto-lock" when the device is motionless for a time), and read out the degree or percent grade. This one works well when looking up along a road, or any other time when you can't view the slope in profile.  This one also has a pretty good bubble level function.

[Leigh Family Farm]

Well thats pretty cool...see you learn something new everyday you spend on the FF!  ;D