Table 2.

Examples of entity-quality (EQ) statements for plant systematic characters, using ontology terms. The entity term is always the same for a character and it corresponding states, but the quality terms for states are subclasses of the term for the character in the Phenotypic Quality Ontology (PATO), e.g., palmate and pinnate are subclasses of arrangement.

Character or State	Entity	Qualities
Character: primary venation arrangement	PO:primary vein	PATO:arrangement
States: palmate, pinnate	PO:primary vein	PATO:palmate PATO:pinnate
Character: stigma symmetry	PO:stigma	PATO:symmetry
States: symmetric, asymmetric	PO:stigma	PATO:symmetrical PATO:asymmetrical
Character: style type	PO:style	PATO:structure
States: solid, hollow	PO:style	PATO:solid (unlumenized) PATO:hollow
Character: cyanogenic compounds	ChEBI:cyanogenic compound	PATO:count
States: present, absent	ChEBI:cyanogenic compounds	PATO:present PATO:absent