Flora Incognita

Flora Incognita

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Flora Incognita: Identify Wild Plants with Scientific Precision

Join a global community of citizen scientists. Discover nature’s diversity with our high-accuracy AI and contribute to vital conservation research—100% free, ad-free, and non-profit.

Publisher

Patrick Maeder

Category

Education

Downloads

3M+

User Rating

4.8/5

Total Ratings

30K+

Locales

35

Nature in Focus

Discover the interface used by 3M+ users.

App screen showing colorful flowers with the text Discover the diversity of plant life

App screen showing colorful flowers with the text Discover the diversity of plant life

Flora Incognita app interface showing a white flower being identified using the smartphone camera

Flora Incognita app interface showing a white flower being identified using the smartphone camera

Plant identification fact sheet for Wood crane-bill in the Flora Incognita app

Plant identification fact sheet for Wood crane-bill in the Flora Incognita app

A map interface within the Flora Incognita app displaying clusters of plant observations with count numbers.

A map interface within the Flora Incognita app displaying clusters of plant observations with count numbers.

Flora Incognita app interface showing educational articles and nature stories for citizen scientists

Flora Incognita app interface showing educational articles and nature stories for citizen scientists

Flora Incognita app screen showing a catalog of local and national plant species with photos and scientific names

Flora Incognita app screen showing a catalog of local and national plant species with photos and scientific names

Official scientific institutions and government ministries supporting the Flora Incognita project

Official scientific institutions and government ministries supporting the Flora Incognita project

Unlock Nature's Secrets with Science

The tools that make this app stand out, trusted by 3M+ users.

📸

Pinpoint Accuracy

Snap a photo of any wild plant and get an instant identification powered by scientific-grade deep learning algorithms.

🗺️

Track Your Discoveries

Build a personal digital collection of your finds with interactive maps to see where you have explored and how your botanical knowledge grows.

🔬

Impactful Citizen Science

Your sightings contribute directly to global research at the Max Planck Institute, helping scientists protect our planet’s biodiversity.

Loved by users worldwide

Trusted by 3M+ people who love this app.

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"I've tried several plant identification apps that immediately hit you with expensive subscription pop-ups. Flora Incognita is a breath of fresh air. It's incredibly accurate for my backyard gardening, and my kids love using it to learn about native species during our weekend hikes. Knowing our photos help real climate research makes the experience even more rewarding."

Sarah Jenkins, Suburban Gardener & Parent
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"As an avid hiker, this app has become as essential as my water bottle. The identification accuracy is phenomenal—often identifying plants even before they bloom. I truly appreciate the scientific integrity behind the project; it’s rare to find such a powerful, ad-free tool that actually contributes to global biodiversity conservation."

David Miller, Environmental Enthusiast & Hiker

About the app

Everything you need to know about Flora Incognita.

Description

FLORA INCOGNITA - DISCOVER THE DIVERSITY OF NATURE What's blooming? With the Flora Incognita app, this question is quickly answered. Take a picture of a plant, find out what it's called and learn everything you want to know with the help of a fact sheet. Highly precise algorithms based on artificial intelligence identify wild plants even when they are not (yet) in bloom! In the Flora Incognita app you can easily view all your collected plant finds in a observation list. Maps show where you have found your plants. This way you can see how your knowledge about wild plants is growing. But Flora Incognita is even more! The app is free of charge and without advertising, because it is part of a scientific research project that aims to improve nature conservation. The collected observations are used to answer scientific research questions that deal, for example, with the spread of invasive species or the effects of climate change on biotopes. In regular stories, you will learn about news from the project, get insights into the scientific work or will be made curious about what is happening in nature right now. WHY SHOULD YOU USE FLORA INCOGNITA? - Identify wild plants simply by taking a photo with your smartphone - Learn more about plant species with the help of extensive plant profiles - Collect your findings in your observation list - Become part of an innovative scientific community - Share your findings on Twitter, Instagram & Co! HOW GOOD IS FLORA INCOGNITA? Species identification with Flora Incognita is based on Deep Learning algorithms that have an accuracy of well over 90%. It is important to take sharp and as close as possible pictures of plant parts such as flower, leaf, bark or fruit for a high identification accuracy. WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROJECT? Visit our website at www.floraincognita.com or follow us on social media. You can find us on X (@FloraIncognita2), Mastodon (@FloraIncognita@social.mpdl.mpg.de), Instagram (@flora.incognita) and Facebook (@flora.incognita). IS THE APP REALLY FREE OF CHARGE AND ADVERTISING? Yes. You can use Flora Incognita anytime, as long as you want. It is free to use, with no ads, no premium version and no subscription. But maybe you will enjoy searching and identifying plants so much that it will become a new hobby. We have received this feedback many times! WHO DEVELOPED FLORA INCOGNITA? The Flora Incognita app is developed by scientists from the Technical University of Ilmenau and the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry Jena. Its development was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation with funds from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety as well as the Thuringian Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Nature Conservation and the Foundation for Nature Conservation Thuringia. The project was awarded as an official project of the "UN Decade of Biodiversity" and won the Thuringian Research Award in 2020.

Latest Version

3.13

Size

28.4 MB

First Released

Apr 30, 2018

Join the Global Community of Citizen Scientists

Download Flora Incognita for free to identify plants with scientific precision and help researchers track biodiversity. No ads, no paywalls—ever.

Download on App Store
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Flora Incognita

What is the Flora Incognita app?

The Flora Incognita app identifies wild plants from user-submitted photos using AI, provides detailed plant profiles, and allows users to collect and map their findings as part of a scientific research project.

How does Flora Incognita identify plants?

The Flora Incognita app identifies plants using highly precise Deep Learning algorithms based on artificial intelligence. Users achieve high accuracy by taking sharp, close-up pictures of plant parts like flowers, leaves, bark, or fruit.

Is the Flora Incognita app free to use?

Yes, the Flora Incognita app is completely free of charge. It offers no ads, premium versions, or subscriptions, allowing users to utilize its features without any cost.

Does Flora Incognita show advertisements?

No, the Flora Incognita app does not contain any advertisements. It is part of a scientific research project and provides its functionality without any ad interruptions, premium versions, or subscriptions.

Who developed the Flora Incognita app?

The Flora Incognita app is developed by scientists from the Technical University of Ilmenau and the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry Jena. Its development receives support from various German federal and state ministries.

How accurate is plant identification using Flora Incognita?

Plant identification with the Flora Incognita app is highly accurate, with Deep Learning algorithms achieving well over 90% accuracy. Optimal results depend on clear, close-up images of relevant plant parts.