Entity guide
Understanding what an entity is and when to create new ones.
What is an entity?
An entity is a single, individual organism — one specific plant in your garden, one particular tree in your yard. It gets its own OHT-ID and its own page on Ohtli. Everything on the platform revolves around entities: lineage, listings, traits, and community observations all attach to a specific entity.
When is it the same entity?
An entity stays the same as long as the genetics haven't changed. This means:
Self-pollinating species
Some species naturally self-pollinate — the flower pollinates itself before it even opens. Tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, and lettuce are common examples. For these species:
- •Seeds saved from your plant are genetically identical to the parent (unless you hand-crossed)
- •Replanting from saved seeds is continuing the same entity, not creating a new one
- •To create something genetically new, you need to hand-pollinate with pollen from a different plant
- •When listing seeds or seedlings, choose “Self Pollinated Seeds” or “Clone” unless you hand-crossed
Cross-pollinating species
Many species naturally cross-pollinate — insects, wind, or other pollinators carry pollen between plants. Apples, squash, corn, blueberries, and brassicas are common examples. For these species:
- •Seeds are likely genetically unique — each one is a new cross
- •Each seedling should be registered as a new entity with its parent(s)
- •Clones (cuttings, grafts) are still the same entity — only seeds create something new
Quick reference
| Situation | New entity? |
|---|---|
| Took a cutting, grafted, or divided | No — same entity |
| Saved seeds from a self-pollinating plant | No — same entity |
| Replanted from saved tomato seeds | No — same entity |
| Hand-crossed two plants | Yes — new entity |
| Grew a seedling from a cross-pollinating species | Yes — new entity |
| Bought a child plant from another grower | Depends on listing type |