Herbaria, Voucher Specimens,

and YOUR research

Outline Herbaria

What are they? The Intermountain Herbarium

Voucher specimens What are they? Why make them?

Your research Optional Assignment

Herbaria: what are they?

Organized collections of carefully preserved and documented plant specimens

PLUS

Associated resources

The Intermountain Herbarium

A major regional herbarium with

232,413 specimens

60,811 in database20,142 Utah

7,286 Nevada

20,629 grasses

14,497 georeferenced

Specimens

The Intermountain Herbarium contains mostly vascular plants, but the fungal and bryophyte collections are becoming more active.

Specimens have two parts …

The plant material and …

and the label

The identity of the plant specimen can be checked; the accuracy of the label cannot be checked.

The label is critical.

Our specimens come from …

These are just georeferenced specimens. We have many others.

Some useful cabinets to know…

Range Class

Accessible 8-5, M-F

The Intermountain Herbarium ….

Has a non-circulating reference library

With professional references …

And an on-site copier, 5¢ per page, cash

other references …

and yet more ….

Books for children – useful for those in education

Resources for teaching…

And more teaching resources…

Demonstration mounts

Voucher specimens What are they? Why make them?

Voucher specimens

Voucher specimens are herbarium specimens that:

Document your work

Explain what you mean by a name

Give your work longevity

May end up being an integral part of studies you never thought of – giving you greater fame.

When are voucher specimens needed?

Any time the name being used is important to the story you are telling.

If others might use your work

If you want the value of your work to outlast you

If using “grass 1” and “blue flower 2” would not change your story, voucher specimens are not needed.

Why make voucher specimens?

Because plant identification is not easy

Because names mean different things to different people

Because the meaning of plant names may change over time

For credibility

As a contribution to knowledge

Identification is not easy

Every taxonomist has found mistakes of their own to correct

Every taxonomist has had others correct their mistakes

‘New’ species are not new; they are species that have not yet been recognized – not even by experienced taxonomists.

Identification is not always easy; compare with specimens, not pictures.

Some warningsIf the name is important, as much effort should go into determining the appropriate name as selecting a method of data analysis.

Field identifications should be verified in an herbarium

Checklists are often incomplete – and may contain errors

Why isn’t the name enough?

Because its meaning may differ according to the reference used.

Citing authoritiesAdds little information.

State which reference you used for identification

Making voucher specimens

Requires time and some equipment

The folks in the herbarium will show you how to make specimens, loan you the inexpensive equipment, get you started on identification.

Other tools needed

Field notebook

Clippers and digger

Pencil(s)

Tags

Bags

GPS*, altimeter**

Field press**

Other needs

The Intermountain Herbarium will loan plant presses and allow you to use its plant dryer and label making program.

And, most importantly…

A place to identify your plants.

Floras are on shelves adjacent to this space.

Specimens are in cabinets all around.

The label should inform …

Cultivated plant label

Tell others about vouchersState that you made voucher specimens, state where they are deposited, and make sure that you have deposited them.

Are voucher specimens used? YES

Ferren – Chenopodiaceae Fleur – Persoonia Bowden – Pascopyrum smithii

Resource for other studies Floristic Morphology Molecular

Lack of vouchers costs Mitella Themeda

Your Research

Unvouchered work cannot be refuted or substantiated. It can, and ideally should, be rejected for publication; if published, it should be ignored or its dubious status mentioned.

Is that what you want for your research?

MAKE VOUCHER SPECIMENS

Let your research live

Optional Assignment

Take a learning tour of the herbarium – and maybe win a prize.

The prizes