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