DELTA(description language for taxonomy)系统是一个用于生物分类学描述的计算机信息处理系统,也是国际植物分类数据工作组(International Working Group on Taxonomic Databases for Plant Sciences)选定的国际数据交换通用标准。DELTA系统主要功能是对分类学的形态描述进行规范化处理,并在此基础上进行分类群的自动描述、交互式鉴定和分类信息管理等。随着DELTA系统近40年的研制和改进,以及因特网便捷的信息传输和交流,该系统被越来越多地应用于植物分类学研究。作者简要介绍了该系统的结构、功能、获取途径以及使用方法,对DELTA系统所包含的子程序的功能、用途及运行方式进行了简要分析,以期推动该系统在中国植物分类学研究中的普及和应用。 

DELTA(description language for taxonomy)system is a computer information processing tool for taxonomic description, which is designated as the international data exchange standard by the International Working Group on Taxonomic Databases for Plant Sciences. The system is mainly capable of normalized processing of morphological descriptions, and based on this, making natural-language descriptions producing of taxon, interactive identification and classification information management, etc.After 40 years of improvement, the system is increasingly used in plant taxonomy with information transmission and communication become more and more convenient through the Internet. The structure, function, acquisition approach and using method of the system are briefly introduced, and function, usage and operation way of subprograms in  DELTA system are also briefly analysed in order to promote its popularization and application in research field of plant taxonomy in China.