herbarium
Let an agent explain herbaria and their scientific role, relay how specimens are collected, preserved, catalogued and digitised from botanical sources, describe the kinds the registry aliases name, and distinguish herbaria from botanical gardens, seed banks and museum natural history collections.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain herbaria and their scientific role, relay how specimens are collected, preserved, catalogued and digitised from botanical sources, describe the kinds the registry aliases name, and distinguish herbaria from botanical gardens, seed banks and museum natural history collections.
A collection of preserved plant specimens, and often fungi, algae and lichens, mounted, labelled and stored for scientific study, together with the institution or building that houses it, from historical herbaria viva of pressed plants to mycological herbaria, comparative herbaria for identification and virtual herbaria of digitised specimens; herbaria hold type specimens and are the reference base for plant taxonomy and biodiversity research.
What it is for: Preserving plant specimens for science.
It can be explain the collection; relay methods; describe kinds; distinguish related institutions.
Distinguishing features
Preserved specimens
Type specimens
Reference for taxonomy
Digitised
What it looks like
Cabinets of pressed plants mounted on sheets with labels.
Physical character
herbaria worldwide: about 3500 count - Index Herbariorum
specimens worldwide: about 400 million
largest: Paris, about 8 million note
oldest surviving: 16th century note - Italy
How it is recognised
Collection of pressed and labelled plant specimens
Herbarium vivum, mycological herbarium, comparative herbarium, virtual herbarium
Botanical gardens grow living plants; seed banks store seeds; museums hold varied collections
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is a kind of - in registry terms
holds - for plant names
is listed in - with a code
In practice
Families and kinds
general herbaria at museums and universities
mycological herbaria
comparative and teaching herbaria
historical herbaria viva
virtual herbaria and digitised collections
regional and personal herbaria
Standards and regulation
Index Herbariorum registration
Nagoya Protocol and CITES for specimen exchange
Digitisation standards such as Darwin Core
Failure modes and hazards
Pest and fire damage to collections
Confusing herbaria with gardens
Registry aliases mixing historical and digital kinds
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.herbarium
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What a herbarium is.
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a herbarium, and how does it differ from a botanical garden, seed bank and museum collection? definition
- Is the question about the concept, a kind, a specific herbarium or methods? boundary
Kinds
Kinds.
Kinds
Kinds.
- What are herbaria viva, mycological, comparative and virtual herbaria? definition
- Which entry fits the specific kind? action
Methods Methods.
Sources.
Specimens
Specimens.
Specimens
Specimens.
- How are specimens collected, pressed, mounted and labelled? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Digitisation
Digitisation.
Digitisation
Digitisation.
- How are herbaria digitised and shared through portals such as GBIF? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Science Science.
Science.
Taxonomy
Taxonomy.
Taxonomy
Taxonomy.
- How do herbaria support naming, types and identification? provenance
- Which entry fits type specimen? action
Research
Research uses.
Research
Research.
- How are herbaria used in climate, conservation and DNA research? provenance
- Which entry fits biodiversity informatics? action
Context History and institutions.
Context.
History
History.
History
History.
- How did herbaria develop from Renaissance Italy to today? provenance
- Which entry fits the history of botany? action
Institutions
Institutions.
Institutions
Institutions.
- Which are the major herbaria, and how are they governed? provenance
- Which entry fits the specific herbarium? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should virtual herbarium and mycological herbarium be separate primary entries?
- How should botanical sources be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases naming kinds; should they be split off?