Scribd
Upload
43 views4 pages

6 The Microscopic Techniques

The document describes the process of preserving plant specimens which involves 3 main steps: 1. Collecting plant materials for identification, distribution records, and research. Equipment includes a field press, secateurs, GPS, bags, and hand lens. 2. Pressing and drying specimens in a field press with blotting paper and newspapers to absorb moisture and prevent fungal growth. 3. Writing a label for each voucher specimen with collector name, number, date, location, habitat, and other details to properly identify and archive the plant.

Uploaded by

بلسم محمود شاكر
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
43 views4 pages

6 The Microscopic Techniques

The document describes the process of preserving plant specimens which involves 3 main steps: 1. Collecting plant materials for identification, distribution records, and research. Equipment includes a field press, secateurs, GPS, bags, and hand lens. 2. Pressing and drying specimens in a field press with blotting paper and newspapers to absorb moisture and prevent fungal growth. 3. Writing a label for each voucher specimen with collector name, number, date, location, habitat, and other details to properly identify and archive the plant.

Uploaded by

بلسم محمود شاكر
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

The Microscopic Techniques ………………………………………………………….Lec.

Dry mount of plant


Preserved plants specimens provide us with important information about plant
.diversity and distribution, and represent an observable

:The steps of plant preserving

Collecting of plant materials -1

Pressing and Drying plant specimens -2

Writing label (Voucher specimen) -3

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Collecting of plant materials -1

:The plants are collected for reasons like

.A. Allow and support accurate identification of plants, algae, lichens and fungi
.B. Provide a permanent record for a species occurring at a particular time and place
Form the basis of reliable distribution, habit and habitat information. C. Provide the
.D. Provide basic biological material for taxonomists, ecologists and other researchers
E. Serve as vouchers for seed collections, toxicological cases, biochemical analyses
.and biodiscovery

:The main equipments for plant collection are

A field press with newspapers for plant pressing -1

1
The Microscopic Techniques ………………………………………………………….Lec.6

Secateurs to cut and trim specimens -2

GPS for recording an accurate latitude and longitude. Alternatively, mark the -3
.position on a topographic map

.Small brown paper bags for collecting fruits, seeds, bryophytes and lichens -4

.Hand lens -5

.Gloves, for handling prickly plant material or plants with corrosive sap -6

2
The Microscopic Techniques ………………………………………………………….Lec.6

Pressing and Drying plant specimens -2

Specimens are pressed in a plant (field) press, which consists of a wooden frame (for
rigidity), corrugated cardboard ventilators (to allow air to flow through the press),
blotter paper (to absorb moisture), and folded paper, typically a newspaper (to
contain the plant material).

This process is essential to dry the specimens fairly quickly, to prevent the onset of

.fungal attack. Fungus affected specimens are of limited value to a Herbarium

The drying of plant specimens have been usually done in field by placing the presses
in the sun during the day appears to have little drying effect except for the topmost
bottommost specimens. However, the sun is invaluable for drying the damp papers

.and corrugates once they have been removed from the press

Writing label (Voucher specimen) -3

3
The Microscopic Techniques ………………………………………………………….Lec.6

The data that accompanies a herbarium specimen is just as important as the specimen
itself. Even a very good quality specimen is of no use to a Herbarium unless it has a
-:written label with the information detailed below

Collector’s name: the name (s) of the person/people who collected the specimen
.preferably no more than 2 people. Don't include everyone who was on the Trip

Collector's number: A unique number, usually sequential, given by the collector as


.a private record

:Date of collection

Botanical name: If you are unsure of the identity it is still helpful to suggest a name,
.or at least a genus

Locality: A written description of the precise collection locality is necessary as well


.as a latitude and longitude reading

.Habitat: Copy the information from the field note book

Habit: This information is copied from the field note book, for example “spreading
.“ shrub to 2 m

Abundance: A comment on the frequency (number of individuals) of the plant at the


.site where you collected

Label

You might also like