Download Plant Collecting and Documentation

Plant Collecting and Documentation
Michael G. Simpson & Jon P. Rebman
Collections:
Samples of plants
Dried or liquid preserved.
Kept alive, grown in greenhouse or garden
Why collect?
1) Provide resource material for plant
systematics studies.
2) Serve as a reference collection for named
taxa, known as a voucher specimen.
a) Type specimen in formal naming
b) Reference for the identity of a taxon
-in systematic studies
-in field studies, e.g., floristic surveys
3) Provide information about the plant in a
native habitat: put info. in database
Why collect plants?
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Distribution information & analyses
Variation within a taxon
Verify field observations
Document the flora of a given area
Provide vouchers for cytogenetics, DNA,
etc.
6) Learn about floristic diversity,
adaptations, & nature appreciation
7) Verifiable scientific evidence of a plant in
a given place at a given time
How does one:
1) Obtain a specific plant(s) for a research study
- Use label information from herbarium
specimens to find localities
- Use maps to find likely habitats
2) Do a complete inventory of plants for a field
survey or floristic study?
- Collect and identify every plant in a region
during different seasons and different years.
- Note: Permission / permits needed!
Should you collect? What to collect?
Generally DON’T collect “listed” taxa:
rare, endangered, or threatened: CNPS Inventory
Must know ahead of time which these are!
When you collect, use “1 to 20” rule:
– For every herb you collect, make sure there
are at least 20 in the population.
– For every branch of a shrub or tree, make
sure there are at least 20 more.
How to collect?
Herbs: Must dig up at least one entire plant to
show root or rootstock (e.g., corm, bulb, rhizome)
Shrubs, trees, vines: One branch sufficient.
Collect a representative specimen that shows
vegetative and reproductive parts (in flower, fruit,
cone, with sporangia, etc.)
Flowers or Fruit – What Do I Collect?
Tips for Collecting From Some Local Plant Families
“The purpose of our instruction is to teach the art of creating
museum-quality specimens on which to base further scientific study.”
Why flowers and fruit?
During your parabotanist training, we instruct you to collect plant specimens that include
“flowers and fruit”. While there are some plants that do not bear fruits and flowers at the
same time, we do ask that you try to collect both – but why? The Botanist often needs
reproductive parts of the plant in order to positively identify it. Including all
representative parts of the plant makes the specimen complete, and enhances its
scientific quality. Remember to record any color or trait that you think might change
upon pressing or drying, and be sure to record the height and width of the original plant
if only a piece is collected.
What is a fruit?
“Fruit” is a collective term used to describe the different types of mature ovaries that
flowering plants can have. The fruit contains the seeds, and some examples are: berry
(grape), nut (acorn), capsule (poppy), pod (pea, bean), drupe (plum, cherry), bur
(cocklebur, teasel), caryopsis (grass grain), and achene (dandelion or sunflower seeds).
What if the plant does not have both flowers and fruit?
If this is the case, and fruit are required for a positive identification, then we may reject
your specimen, or we may ask you to return to the plant later on to collect additional
material (to which you will assign a new collection number). Never mix leaves or flowers
from one individual plant with fruit from another plant because the plants will be
genetically different from one another.
What should I collect?
Here are some tips to help you understand what you should make note of in your field
book, and what you need to collect, depending upon which plant family your specimen
belongs to.
EUDICOTS
Acanthaceae – (Acanthus Family) – Chuparosa – flower or fruits
Aceraceae – (Maple Family) – Maple, Box-Elder - fruits or flower
Aizoaceae – (Fig-Marigold Family) – Carpobrotus, Iceplant, Sea-Fig - flower, flower color very
important, some in this family are very fleshy and do not dry easily
Carpobrotus - remove and slice some of the flowers/fruits and press; dry in separate sheets
apart from leaves for good air circulation; chop or cross section into ¼ inch pieces one of
the bulky leaves; if they are not dry when you deliver your batch of plants, please bring
this to our attention and we will finish drying them here
Amaranthaceae – (Amaranth, Chenopodium Families) – Tumbleweed, Goosefoot, Saltbush,
Pigweed - fruits
Anacardiaceae – (Sumac or Cashew Family) – Sumac, Lemonade Berry, Pepper Tree,
Poison-Oak – fruits or flower
Apiaceae – (Carrot Family) – Sanicle, Lomatium, Hemlock - fruits essential, note flower color if
present
Apocynaceae – (Dogbane, incl. Asclepias or Milkweed Family) – Milkweed, Oleander,
Periwinkle – flowers and fruits
Araliaceae – (Ginseng Family) – Ivy – fruits or flower
Asteraceae – (Composite Family) – Our largest family which includes - Daisies, Baccharis,
Ragweed, Ambrosia, Thistle, Goldenbush, Tarplant, Filago, Matchweed, Sunflower,
Cudweed, Artichoke – flower and fruits if present; ray daisy-like flower heads can be
pressed flat (like a sun) or large heads halved and butterflied, then pressed flat to
promote drying; Artichoke or large thistle heads – harvest when bloom first opens (and
still green) then slice lengthwise in ¼ to ½ inch thick pieces and press separately from
leaves, as they will be combined later. Do not collect if dry and already dispersing seeds,
instead wait until next year.
Berberidaceae – (Barberry Family) – Barberry – fruits (note color in description)
Betulaceae – (Birch Family) – Alder – fruits or flower
Bignoniaceae – (Bignonia Family) – Catalpa, Desert Willow, Jacaranda - flower
Boraginaceae – (Borage Family) – Fiddleneck, Cryptantha, Popcorn Flower, must have
mature fruits which are found below the flowers on coiled cyme; note flower color
Brassicaceae – (Mustard Family) – Mustard, Rocket, Cress, Peppergrass, Wallflower, Stock,
Fringepod -must have mature fruits that form below flowers at top; note flower color;
include a sample of basal leaves if submitting a cutting from the top of a large specimen
Cactaceae – (Cactus Family)
Opuntia & Cylindropuntia – Cholla, Prickly-Pear - collect pads (stems) with flowers (must have)
and fruits if present. With tongs and knife in hand, cut off open flowers, thinly slice one or
two lengthwise (vertically to show the style) and press. If there are enough blossoms
slice one or more just between the apple and the flower and press open (like a sun); put
pads with buds and/or fruits (do not remove) in paper sack and label with your collection
number; bring to the museum within a few weeks
Ferocactus – Barrel - remove a slice of spines ( about 5 inches in length) from South side (to
promote faster healing) of specimen; count total ribs, collect flowers and fruits and slice
flowers (as described above)and dry in press; store the spines and uncut fruits in a
paper sack and bring to the museum within a week
iNaturalist Observations – What Should I Photograph?
Tips for Photographing Some Local Plant Families
Thank you for participating in the San Diego County Plant Atlas Project on iNaturalist!
To optimize the likelihood of being able to identify species from photographs submitted to
iNaturalist, we offer these tips about photographing plants.
General Guidelines: Keep in mind that these guidelines are intended to optimize
identification, but we want you to submit plant observations to iNaturalist and the San
Diego County Plant Atlas Project even if you are unable to follow the guidelines.
1. Try to obtain photographs of the plant as a whole, showing scale if possible by
including a recognizable object in the photo. (e.g., for a large tree, have a person
stand next to the tree; for a small plant, hold the leaves or flower so that your
fingers are in the photo; or you can place a ruler or other scale in the photo.)
2. Take close-up photographs of leaves (both upper and lower surfaces), flowers
(straight-on and side views), and fruits.
3. In most cases, it is helpful to photograph both flowers and fruits. While there are
some plants that do not bear fruits and flowers at the same time, try to
photograph both if possible. A botanist often needs reproductive parts of the
plant in order to positively identify it. Including all representative parts of the plant
makes it more likely that the species can be determined without having a
specimen in hand.
a. “Fruit” is a collective term used to describe the different types of mature
ovaries that flowering plants can have. The fruit contains the seeds, and
some examples are: berry (grape), nut (acorn), capsule (poppy), pod (pea,
bean), drupe (plum, cherry), bur (cocklebur, teasel), caryopsis (grass
grain), and achene (dandelion or sunflower seeds). With some plants,
characteristics of the seeds are used to determine the species.
b. If the plant does not have both flowers and fruit, and fruit/seeds are
required for a positive identification, then your observation may not be
identified as to species. In some cases, a higher level of identification may
be possible, such as the family or genus of the plant.
4. Try to have the sun at your back to provide the best light for your photos.
Chenopodiaceae – (Goosefoot Family) – Tumbleweed, Goosefoot, Saltbush – closeup of
fruits
Cistaceae – (Rock-Rose Family) – Rush-Rose, Rock-Rose - flowers and/or fruits
Cleomaceae – (Spiderflower Family) – Bladderpod – flowers and shape of mature fruits
Convolvulaceae – (Morning-Glory, Dodder Family) Convolvulus – Morning-Glory, Bindweed
– flowers and fruits, Calystegia - leaf shape, and side view of flowers showing outer
bracts
Cuscuta – Dodder – orange colored parasite, photograph with flowers (tiny & white); include
part of host plant in the photo; Note name of the host plant (if known).
Cornaceae – (Dogwood Family) – flowers and/or fruits
Crassulaceae – (Stonecrop Family) – flowers and basal leaf shape
Dudleya – leaves and flower stalk; note number of leaves in whole rosette and diameter of plant
in description
Cucurbitaceae – (Gourd Family) – Melon, Wild Cucumber - flower or fruits
Ericaceae – (Heath Family) – Manzanita – fruits.
Arctostaphylos – photograph base of the shrub/tree to show the burl (woody outgrowth at base
of trunk)
Euphorbiaceae – (Spurge Family) – Doveweed, Croton, Castor Bean - closeup of stem nodes
showing stipules, fruits and flowers, including a closeup of the cyathium (tiny flower-like
structures containing male & female flowers and often with appendages and glands
present)
Fabaceae – (Legume Family) – Clover, Vetch, Locoweed, Broom, Pea, Lupine
Acacia – fruits, Astragalus – flowers & fruits, Lathyrus – flowers, Acmispon, Hosackia, Lotus fruits, Lupinus – flower, Trifolium – flower and bracts of the lower, outside of flower
clusters, Vicia - flower and fruits
Fagaceae – ( Oak Family) – fruits (acorns) essential, upper and lower surface of leaves
Fouqueriaceae – (Ocotillo Family) – flowers
Garryaceae – (Silk Tassel Family) – flower or fruits; upper and lower surface of leaves
(determining hairs on underside)
Gentianaceae – (Gentian Family) – Canchalagua, Centaury - flowers and basal leaves
Geraniaceae – (Geranium Family) – Storksbill, Geranium – fruits, flowers, and lower leaves
Grossulariaceae – (Gooseberry Family) – Currant – flowers, fruits and presence or absence
of spines on stems
Hydrophyllaceae – ( Waterleaf Family) – Phacelia, Eucrypta, Baby Blue Eyes, Bluebells,
Yerba Santa – flowers, Phacelia needs fruits
Lamiaceae – (Mint Family) – Sage, Monardella, Woolly Bluecurls - flowers
Loasaceae – ( Loasa Family) – Stick-Leaf, Blazing Star – fruits and closeup of mature seeds
Lythraceae – ( Loosestrife Family) flowers, closeup of fruits, growth habit
Malvaceae – (Mallow Family) – Hollyhock, Mallow, Checkerbloom – flowers and mature fruits.
Malacothamnus -- closeup side view of flower and stem (showing calyx, bracts, & hairs)
How to collect?
Press plants:
Portable field press used in field
Transfer to standard herbarium press
1) Fold to fit ca. 11.5” x 16.5”; fill up area
2) Cut to fit & to prevent too much overlap; slice
rootstocks; slice flowers, fruits to show morph.
3) At least one leaf up, one down
4) Collect extra material, if possible.
5) Divide into 2 or more sheets, if necessary.
6) Succulents: cut out tissue, soak in alcohol
Plant Press
Cardboards: ca. 12” x 18”
Newspaper, ca. 11.5” x 16.5”
Tighten straps
Place in plant drier,
2-3 days
Remove and check if dry
(if it feels cool, not dry)
Collection Data
Collection Data
Importance of recording color, even of pollen grains!
Liquid-Preserved Collections
Anatomy, embryology, palynology, etc.:
FAA (Formalin - Acetic Acid - Alcohol (ethanol)
Cytology (chromosome numbers):
Carnoy’s (100% ethanol : glacial acetic acid)
Ultrastructure:
Gluteraldehyde, osmium tetroxide, formalin
Living Collections
Grow in greenhouse or botanic garden
Valuable for long-term studies
Collections for Molecular Studies
DNA: dried in silica gel
Allozymes: fresh material