Despite advances in botanical research methodologies, the generation and integration of machine-readable phenotypic data remain limited. This study examines the application of structured, linked open data to enhance the representation of floral color phenotypes in blue-flowered plants. By aligning Wikidata with authoritative sources such as Plants of the World Online (POWO), we aimed to increase accessibility and interoperability of botanical data. POWO records describing blue flowers were retrieved and validated, then cross-referenced with Wikidata entries and semantically annotated for specific floral parts. Georeferenced occurrence data from GBIF were used for taxonomic and distribution analysis. We identified 2,039 POWO records containing "blue," of which 420 explicitly referenced blue flowers. A curated dataset of 119 species with detailed annotations was produced. Global distribution patterns showed ecological and climatic constraints, with notable absences in polar, desert, and dense forest regions. Blue-flowered species clustered mainly in the Lamiaceae, Commelinaceae, and Convolvulaceae families. This study highlights the potential of linked open data frameworks to advance botanical phenomics by supporting improved data integration and computational analyses. It also highlights the importance of collaborative biocuration in closing biodiversity data gaps.
Muñoz-Velasco et al. (Sun,) studied this question.