PDB Search

Seems to me that a search used to bring results for partial words. Now it only responds to complete and accurately spelled names. The DG search engine probably works on ONE letter. I tried three successfully.
It would be appreciated in the PDB, especially when the proper spelling is not known.

Is it ethical to bump?

Ulrich-I agree. Buddleia is a good example it was two spellings (buddleia and buddleja). would be nice to just type in "budd"

It's the proverbial rock and hard place. Making the search more general (allowing partial words and "fuzzy logic" to help compensate for poor spelling, etc.) consumes huge amounts of the server's resources.

Making the search more specific makes it less user-friendly. I've given Dave some suggestions (such as having the user choose between searching the common name field and the genus/species fields, bringing back boolean logic, etc.) I'm sure at some point he'll get to my notes and implement or come up with something even better (usually the latter.)

In the meantime, I find Google is a great spellchecker. I type my name(s) into it, and it usually prompts me with the correct spelling, which I can copy and paste into the PDB.

As to Buddleia/Buddleja, I believe most of our Butterfly Bush entries have both listed, so you can spell it either way and get the same results.

Terry,
speaking of google being a great PDB search tool ...

I like to go to google's advanced search and tell it just to search plantsdatabase.com. This way I can search for really specific things, like Mid Summer blooming daylilies, or reblooming iris, or Asiatic lilies 36-48 in., and the stress is on the google server. I just have to phrase my search in a way that I know is reflected in the PDB.

'Course, you don't get the latest additions to the PDB until google spiders it again, but it helps me, alot.

Thought this might help.
Cheri'

Another search issue in Brugmansias website: Although it indicates there are XX jillions of topics/names what have you, it wil only allow the searcher to go to the second page, no mas.

Like what had been happening in the roses site.

Just FYI

Thank you, thank you, Dave, for fixing Plants Search to where it actually works great. It is much appreciated.

I second Ulrich's thanks!