A herbarium specimen consists of a plant or plant sample that has been pressed, dried and

mounted on special paper for display and preservation purposes. The appropriate label data is

Herbarium specimens are used for identification and for research studies. Since they

were collected over many years, they are a record of plant characteristics and diversty.

Researchers working on a specific group of plants can borrow from all the major herbaria in the

United States and Canada. After the study is completed, the specimens have annotation labels

attached, which helps to verify and update the specimens. Herbarium specimens are especially

useful for sources of flowering and fruiting dates, geographic ranges, etc. Dr. Voss used

The Beal-Darlington Herbarium is in the Botany Department and includes about 600,000

specimens. All species of Michigan plants are represented along with selected species from

around the world. The plants of Mexico, and the plants in the Compositae or Aster Family are

Herbarium paper is a standardized size of ll l/2 x l6 l/2 inches. Professional herbarium

paper is 100% rag content so it does not turn yellow and brittle when used for many years.

The plant or herbarium specimen should be as complete as possible. A 10-inch or longer

terminal stem with leaves attached is needed. Flowers and fruits should be collected if available.

Large fruits can be dried and placed in small plastic bags and stapled to the herbarium sheet.

Some leaves should be turned over so the underside of the leaf is visible. A 10-inch or longer

terminal winter twig with good buds and leaf scars is needed if available. For each specimen, all

the parts should be collected from the same plant, at the same place, and at the same time. Each

plant collected is given a different collector number. The same plant collected on a different day

is also given a new collector number. Long stems, and large or compound leaves can be bent in

Herbarium specimens should be pressed and dried flat between newspaper and corrugated

cardboard. The newspaper should be changed every few days as needed. Extra blotters or

newspaper are needed to press leaves attached to a thick stem. Boards with a weight or straps

can be used to flatten the specimen. Professional plant presses can be purchased from Biological

supply houses. After a few hours or a day, the leaves etc. should be limp and can be positioned

The pressed and dried plant specimen should be glued and taped to the herbarium paper.

Watered-down Elmer's glue can be used to glue the specimen. Do not use mounting sprays or

other glues, since they are not reliable over time. Avoid laminating specimens or covering them

with any kind of spray since these materials make it difficult to use a hand lens or dissecting

microscope to observe details. You don’t want to cover or distort surface features.

The herbarium label should also be glued in the lower righthand corner of the herbarium

sheet. Stems and other rigid parts can be taped with a cloth tape or sewn tight with white nylon

thread, with the knots on the underside of the sheet taped over. The label data should be typed,

and the label should be mounted on the lower righthand corner of the herbarium sheet. The

herbarium sheet is positioned vertically with the short sides at the top and bottom. Notes should

include things that may not be retained in pressing and drying, such as flower color(which may

fade), flower position(does the flower nod or droop). Habitat can include related species

State:

Scientific Name:

Common Name:

Family Name:

County:

Exact Locality:

Habitat & Notes:

Collector's Name:

Collector's No.:

Date: