Over 20 years in preparation, a new set of keys to the vascular flora of the Kimberley region of Western Australia is nearing completion. The keys will be published in traditional hard copy, but also made available as an open-access PDF, under a Creative Commons Copyright licence, to allow the content to be freely incorporated into existing online databases (KeyBase and the Australian Plant Name
... [Show full abstract] Index). The background to these keys will be presented, along with the rationale for publishing them in this format. It is hoped that publication of the keys will stimulate the production of a revised regional flora in an electronic format. Preparation of taxonomic identification tools is very time consuming. Publishers often have very specific formats that they require for the final hardcopy version. With the development of interactive electronic identification tools and large-capacity PDAs, users will increasingly be looking to access the information that systematists produce in electronic form. We need to consider the way we publish taxonomic descriptions with e-floras in mind.