The Living Atlas of Living Australia has reviewed a lot of software that can help in Biological software world.   You can download the 300+ page 2008 report here:  http://www.ala.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ALA-Tools-Review-February-2008.pdf  [6.8MB]

BRAHMS a UK based free Database:     http://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/  BRAHMS a UK based free Database

US Based Open Source and free Database:   http://specifysoftware.org/   

Atlas of Living Australia:     http://www.ala.org.au/about-the-atlas/downloadable-tools/open-source-sof...