Distribution maps of plants are now appearing in many taxonomic monographs or revisions, local or state floras, or short discussions and notes. These maps usually depict, in more or less detail, the distribution of the taxa as occurring in a general region, a county, or a locality where the plant is known. Various techniques of shading and symbolism (e.g. dots, triangles, circles, numbers, or letters) are employed to show the plant’s distribution. Phytogeographers seeking maps of individual taxa for a particular region, state, etc., must search the literature in order to locate a possibly desirable map. In general, the annual and cumulative indexes of journals containing the above kinds of papers do not inform the reader of such published distribution maps. The Michigan Botanist, for example, is one journal that does index separately the distribution maps of plant taxa that are published in each volume.