Plant Collection

8/2/2019 Plant Collection

1/20

Plant Collecting

Why make a collection?Making a good plant collection is time-consuming, but a well-made plant collection is of lasting benefit. It

represents information that was captured at one point in time and made available for all time. People stillstudy specimens collected in the 1600s.

The other benefit to making a collection, and identifying the plants in it, is that doing so will teach youmore about plant diversity and the characteristics of different plant families that any number of brilliantlypresented lectures. There is something about a plant that one has collected oneself that cannot beduplicated by a specimen made available in laboratory. You will also learn the advantage of makinggood specimens and field notes.

Bear in mind that any good plant specimen kills at least part of a plant. Make sure you have a reason formaking the specimen and do so in an appropriate manner.

Where to collect?

Plants may be taken from local woodlands, old fields, roadsides, vacant lots or any unrestricted areawithin the local area. Many native plants are cultivated and are acceptable, however, ornamental plantssuch as oleander or boxwood are not acceptable. DONOT collect in state, national, or community parks.DONOT trespass on private property.

What to collect?

You are really going on a scavenger hunt. Your collection will have a total of 30 different species andmust include at least: the twelve plants included in Appendix D, one bryophyte, one cycad, and threeherbaceous wild flowers in flowering condition from three different families. The rest of the collectioncan be what ever else you can find.

What NOT to collect?

I do not want any horticultural plants. You may not use Ginko in your collection. You may not submitany poisonous plant.

Voucher specimens. A voucher specimen is one that documents what you found or worked with in astudy. Voucher specimens can be examined long after a study has been completed. They enable others tocheck your identifications and, if there are taxonomic changes affecting the species. An ecological orenvironmental study that is not documented by specimens is of questionable validity. No one can prove

that it is flawed because of misidentifications, but nor can it be proved that your identifications werecorrect.

A good voucher specimen has:

All the parts needed for accurate identification. Because you probably do not know what theseare, collect as much of the plant as possible. For herbaceous plants, this generally means collectthe underground parts and either whole stems or tops and bottoms (leaf shape, size, andarrangement may vary from top to bottom). Look for both flowers and fruits, but make sure that


2/20

they are on the same plant or that there is no other species around that might be confused withthe one you think you are collecting.For features that cannot be preserved, make notes in your field book. For instance, did the branchcome from a tree or shrub? How tall was the plant? What was the flower color in the field?(Flower color may change on drying). For a tall herbaceous plant, how large are the basal leaves?Are they arranged in the same way as the upper leaves? This can be made easier and more

complete by using a digital camera as an aidYour field notes should also contain all the information needed for the label:Locality Information. The location where the specimen was collected, preferably with latitudeand longitude data. You must provide country, state, parish, and a verbal description of thelocation.Habitat information. There are two aspects to this, physical and biological. Physical dataincludes soil type (i.e., clay or sandy) and moisture (for instance, whether the site is always wet,NOT whether it was pouring with rain when you collected the plant). Biological data includeswhat kind of plant community (open forest, opening in forest, closed forest, grassland, shrub-steppe, disturbed roadside (yes, that overlaps physical; biology frequently requires a judgementcall). If you can name the species, great. If you cannot (yet), do not sweat it.Collection Purpose. Whether the collection is being made in connection with some specific

project. If you are collecting as part of a funded project, it is a courtesy to include this informationon the label.Collector Information. The name of the collectors and the collection number for that specimen.The collection number should be associated with the first person listed on the label. It is rarely agood idea, and frequently a bad idea, to have more than one person give a collection number to aspecimen.

Collecting ethics

1. Have a reason for killing or damaging the plant. The validity of a reason varies with the speciesand the location.

2. Know what you are collecting before removing the plant. Some species are endangered andcollecting them could result in fines and/or incarceration. If you are not sure what you arecollecting, ask first or select another specimen.

3. Have permission to collect in the area concerned.4. Determine whether there are enough plants to justify your action. In general, follow the 1 in 20

rule. Weeds, particularly noxious weeds, can be collected without limit, but minimize thedisruption you cause. "Replace your divots".

5. Make a good specimen for your purpose. "Good" means with all parts needed for your purposeand appropriate data.

Good collecting

Make detailed field notes. It is a good idea to make them before digging up the plant of interest,particularly if you are inclined to be impatient.

Tag your plants when you collect them. This information must remain with the specimen at alltimes.If possible, select two or more of each specimen. Press on and place the other in a plastic bag inthe refrigerator for later dissection, if necessary.Press your plants while they are fresh

Lay them out as you want them to look


3/20

Make sure that both the top and the bottom surface of leaves are visibleCollect flower and fruit whenever possible; positive identification often requires that both bepresent. Be sure that your have at least two leaves attached to the twig or branch. IF YOU DONOT HAVE A PIECE OF THE STEM YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THESPECIMENT!Select a representative plant, not the largest or the showiest.For herbaceous plants, be sure that enough of the below-ground plants are available to showwhether it had a caudex, tap root, rhizomes, or whatever.

Press your plants when they are fresh.

Field notes

Write your notes BEFORE starting to collect.Start with date and who is with you (if anyone). Even if you are collecting with others from theclass, each of you must have your own field notes and specimens.

Next, describe the location. A topographic map may help. Also, use the trip tick on your car(odometer to the educated). Try to note what your mileage is when you go by landmarks on a

collecting trip.Describe the ecological characteristics of the area.

Finally, start collecting. Attach a tag to plants (really helps to be sure you know which is whichwhen you are identifying them). Assign consecutive numbers to each plant that you collect anduse those numbers in your field notebook. Add notes about an individual plant in your fieldnotebook. My code for collection number is student number, date, followed by a unique number(11.01.99-01, 11.01.99-02 and so on).Things to include:

o Whether the plant was a tree or a shrubo How tall the plant waso What color the flower was when picked

Train yourself to write neatly and coherently.

Another view:

Information that identifies which specimen you are talking about, who collected it and when.o Start by giving the plant a number (see numbering system above)o Write the number in the field notebook and on the plant tag

Information that describes the plant itself

Information that describes the location

Information that describes the ecological characteristics of the area (description of the habitat)o Physicalo Biological

Other plants in the area

Plant community ecosystem

You will be required to submit a copy of your field notes with your collection. I shall be looking forcompleteness. DO NOT RECOPY YOUR FIELD NOTES. Field notes are notes taken in the field. Recopiedfield notes will earn you 0 (zero, zilch) points. In your professional career, your field notes could becomea legal document. Think of them that way now.


4/20

Pressing the specimens

Well made specimens can be both valuable scientific resources and visually attractive. Make achieving

both goals your aim, but recognize that some species will frustrate you. Some specimens will blackensoon after being collected, in others just the flower color changes, possibly from a vibrant red to a dullpurple. Most species in our region make good specimens, but rule number 1 is that NO SPECIMEN CANBE MADE TO LOOK BETTER AFTER IT IS HAS BEEN PRESSED. How do you make good specimens?

Press your plants while they are still fresh.Clean off the mud from the roots.Lay the plant in the newsprint as you want it to look when dried. Take advantage of the spaceavailable, remembering that there will be a label attached in one corner. Show both sides ofleaves and, if possible, expose the inner portions of a flower.

Select appropriate material if the plant is too large to fit in the press. For trees and shrubs, portionof a branch with leaves and flowers. If it flowers before leafing out, look and see if there is not

some branch that is slightly ahead of the rest. For herbaceous plants, include the flowers andupper leaves and some portion of the underground parts. Remember to add to your field notesobservations that you cannot preserve such as the plant height or whether it was a tree or shrub.Bend the stem or branch if it is too long to fit the paper. If you clip off portions of the branch,leave a stub so that people can see that you have done so.

If the plants are small, the specimen should contain several individuals (assuming the populationis large enough to support collecting several).

Do not leave bits hanging out of the press. They will not get pressed and will probably simply bebroken off. If your specimen is too big to fit on a single sheet of paper, prune, overlap or fold thespecimen during pressing so that it can fit. If this is not possible, cut the specimen in half andmount it on two sheets. You will have to place a label on each sheet and indicate the totalnumber of sheets on each label (eg. Sheet 1 of 2).Specimens look best if dried by having air move over them. The air temperature should be nomore than 100F or thereabouts. Placing the press over a heating vent or in direct sunlight iseffective.

Normally, specimens take 7 14 days to completely dry. It is best if the newspaper in the plantpress is replaced daily for the first three days, then every two or three days after. Take specialcare to check for and prevent molding of the specimens.

There are special techniques for pressing seaweeds. Basically, one puts the mounting paper in apan of water and floats the seaweed onto the paper. Most seaweed will glue itself to the paperand make very attractive specimens. Red algae are particularly beautiful when pressed. Placewax paper or plastic between the seaweed and the newsprint or the seaweed will glue itself to thenewsprint.

Arranging the specimensBe sure all botanical features are showing, including both upper and lower leaf surfaces.Attempt to arrange the specimen in an anatomically correct orientation.Display the side that shows the most botanical features (i.e., flowers, fruit, etc.)Be sure the specimen will fit on the mounting card.


5/20

Preparing the label

Your specimen labels must include the following data.

Heading. Your heading must be as shown in Appendix A. If you collect your specimen in a

different parish your heading must reflect that fact.The location where the specimen was collected. That information must be as detailed as possible.Please try to include latitude and longitude data.Identification of the collection site. What does it look like? Describe and characterize the habitat(i.e., prairie-like meadow with a pond in the middle and a deserted house).

Finally, you must include your name, the date and your unique accession number. The firstcomponent of that accession number should be your student number (e.g., 11-11.01.99-13 student number-date-specimen number).

Use a 3X5 card for the specimen label.

Attaching the label

Place the label in the bottom right-hand corner of the page.Allow at least inch from all sides of the page to permit space for handling and to preventdamage to the label.Use archival clear gum glue (not rubber cement) or spray adhesive.Glue down along the top edge only.Keep the label free from the mounting tape and specimens.

Collection grading.

Making a good collection is time consuming. That is why it is graded as carefully as it is. Each specimenand its label will be examined. The maximum possible number of points per specimen is 10. You startwith 10, but lose points as indicated in the following guidelines. You are to submit a total of 30specimens, including the required specimens from the list provided to you.

Identification

Is it correct? If it is not correct, how bad is the error? If it is close, perhaps a very similar species, the pointloss may be as low as 0.5 points. If involved a mistake in a character you should not misinterpret (e.g.,position of ovary), the loss might be 3 points. This is a judgment call.

You are supposed to have identified the plants in your collection by keying them out (AppendixB) so, if your specimen does not have the parts required for keying, you will get no credit, even ifthe identification is correct.

Your specimen should be complete. Herbaceous plants should show enough of the base andunderground parts to indicate its longevity (annual or perennial), root type, etc. For large plantsand woody plants, this information may be included on the label. For woody plants, the labelshould state whether it is a tree or a shrub.

Field notes. Include a copy with your specimens. If too perfect (in other words, rewritten orwritten after the event), the loss will be 10 of the 50 points for the collection.

Spelling and typographical errors that have not been corrected (use pen or pencil). Varies from0.5-2 points, depending on how many and how severe the problems are. NOTE: these errors


6/20

mount up if you forget that you may have the same error on many labels because of the ease withwhich information can be copied from one label to the next.Appendix C has many sources that may help you determine the classification of your specimen.


7/20

Appendix A

Create your own copy of this to place in your specimenbook.

PLANTS OF ACADIANA

Iberia Parish

__________________ __________________(Scientific name) (Common Name)

Location:________________________________

_______________________________________

Collection site,___________________________

_______________________________________

Collected by _____________________________

Date Collected ______ Accession No. _________


8/20

Appendix B

Create your own copy of this to include in yourspecimen collection bag and with the specimen on the

plant press.

Specimen labels

Genus sp. epithet Auth._____________________________________________

___________________________________Family_______________________

County ___________________________________State__________________

Location________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Collector ________________________________________ Coll. # __________

Habitat _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Growth Form ___________________________ Height ___________________

Flower/Fruit Color _____________________________ Date ____________________

Citation ________________________________________________________


9/20

Appendix C

Online resourses

Identification Keys

http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Trees

http://www.southeasternflora.com/SearchForm.asp

http://www.treelink.org/whattree/index.htm

http://www.herbarium.lsu.edu/keys/

http://www.herbarium.lsu.edu/checklist.html

http://www.rnr.lsu.edu/plantid/webtour/listscientific.htm
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Treeshttp://www.southeasternflora.com/SearchForm.asphttp://www.treelink.org/whattree/index.htmhttp://www.treelink.org/whattree/index.htmhttp://www.herbarium.lsu.edu/keys/http://www.herbarium.lsu.edu/checklist.htmlhttp://www.rnr.lsu.edu/plantid/webtour/listscientific.htmhttp://www.rnr.lsu.edu/plantid/webtour/listscientific.htmhttp://www.herbarium.lsu.edu/checklist.htmlhttp://www.herbarium.lsu.edu/keys/http://www.treelink.org/whattree/index.htmhttp://www.southeasternflora.com/SearchForm.asphttp://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Trees


10/20

Appendix D

Required Specimens

Only common names are listed.

River Birch

Sycamore

Hackberry

Southern Catalpa

Flowering Dogwood

Live Oak

Southern Magnolia

Bald Cypress

Black Eyed Susan

Southern Maidenhair fern

Honeysuckle

Cattail


11/20

Appendix E

Supplies Required

Field book (6X9 steno pad is perfect)

- Use a small, sturdy notebook that is easily carried- Be sure to include your contact details in case it is lost.- Use one page per specimen so you have room to add more information later.

Waterproof pen or pencil

Zip-lock bags

Plastic bags (free from grocery work really well)

Paper bags

Small tags to attach to the plant specimen

Hand lens (recommended)

Binoculars (recommended to permit visualization of structures high in trees)

Ruler to measure structures

Tape measure to measure tree diameter

GPS device (optional) for detailed location information

Clippers (to cut plants)

Digger (to dig plants)

Plant press

Tags to attach to plant specimen


12/20

Appendix F

Sample from field notebook

June 14, 2006

LeBlanc Community, Vermilion Parish; Ranch Road mile from intersection with LA Hwy

338. Roadside ditch.

Willow Oak didnt have means to determine taxonomy.

In full sunlight, single tree in the middle of a pasture with 13 head of cattle. Tree was approx.

40 tall. No flowers or fruit seen on tree but large amount of acorns scattered about on the

ground below.

SpNo: 20060614-001


13/20

Appendix G: Plant collection data form for use in the field

Common name of plant _________________________________________________________

Scientific name of plant _________________________________________________________

Location collected _____________________________________________________________

Growing site _____________________________________________________________

Soil type ______________________________________________________________

Surrounding vegetation _________________________________________________________

Special note ______________________________________________________________

Name of collector_______________________________________________________

System number ______________________ Date _______________________


14/20

Plant Structures

An Aid for Identification


15/20

Part 1:

Flowers


16/20

Part 2: Leaves


17/20


18/20


19/20

Part 3: Fruit and Seeds


20/20

Documents

Plant Collection