SARI (Sporomorph Analysis, Retrieval, and Identification) was designed to facilitate the thorough morphological description of pollen and spores in a large, unfamiliar flora where published keys do not exist. Descriptions of both reference grains and unknown fossil grains are kept in the same database. A new unknown grain may be compared with the descriptions in the database by searching by key words for any number of characters in any combination or order.
Descriptions are entered by clicking buttons that correspond to common characters of pollen grains and pteridophyte spores. The buttons for the most common characters (class, basic structure and sculpture, symmetry, and size classes) are on a single card (Fig. 1), with options to go to additional Description cards for more detailed and special characters. The description thus entered is recorded, in abbreviated and standard form, on a Morphology card for the grain being described (Fig. 2). The description can be edited on the card, and new information added, from the keyboard. The character states and their abbreviations used in the stack follow those defined by Iversen & Troels-Smith (1950), with additions and modifications by Cushing. An accompanying Help stack defines and illustrates the characters and abbreviations.
The third card, an Image card, is optional (Fig. 3). It provides space for graphic illustrations of the grain. These may be drawn directly on the screen with the graphic tools included in HyperCard, or they may be pasted in from scans of photographs or line drawings. The resolution of images so entered into the stack is limited by the resolution of the Macintosh screen (72 pixels per inch). An alternative now being planned is to display images acquired by video camera and stored on a hard disk (or ultimately a CD ROM). The images can be accessed quickly from the HyperCard stack in a similar way, but much higher resolution is achieved. The Macintosh must be fitted with a video card for this alternative.
SARI requires a Macintosh with at least 1 MB memory running System 6.0.5 or later and HyperCard 2.0. A hard disk becomes necessary as the database expands. With a basic knowledge of HyperTalk, the HyperCard scripting language, the user can modify the stack to taste.
A copy of SARI on a 3.5" floppy disk may be obtained by sending a blank disk to me at the address given at the head of this article.
Reference
Iversen, Johs. and Troels-Smith, J. 1950. Pollenmorfologiske definitioner og typer. Danm. Geol. Unders. IV/3, 8, 54 p. + 16 Tables.