Herbarium : Technique, Importance and Functions

An herbarium is a type of storehouse or repository of the collected plant specimens which are dried, pressed, mounted, and preserved on sheets. The first herbarium was developed by the professor of botany Luca Ghini. It helps in the detailed study of different types of plants. It is used for preserving plant wealth including the type of the material. The largest Herbarium in India is Central National Herbarium which is located in the Indian Botanical Garden at Kolkata.

What is Herbarium?

A herbarium is defined as a collection of plant specimens that are first dried, pressed, mounted and then they are labeled in the herbarium sheets. These herbarium sheets are the sheets that consist of various specimens with required information in them and they are preserved to use in the future. On the right-hand side, the lower corner consists of a label in which some information are being mentioned:

• English name of the specimen.
• Date of the specimen in which it was collected.
• The local name of the specimen.
• Family of the specimen.
• The place where the specimen was collected.
• Name of the collector of that particular specimen.

Herbarium Technique

There are some methods used for making herbarium which are mentioned below:

1. Collection: This is the first step where the plant materials are collected which are 30- 40 cm in length. The material used for determination should be complete which means it should complete inflorescence. The collected material should be kept in the metallic vasculum or polythene bags so that the moisture is preserved. While collecting the plant material diseased plants should be avoided.
2. Drying: After collecting the plant specimens they should be pressed in the newspaper folders. The overlapping of the specimens should be avoided Then these newspaper folders should be preserved in a field of grass.
3. Poisoning: Mercuric chloride is used in the process of poisoning. It is important to avoid the microbe’s growth. Again after this, the specimens are dried.
4. Mounting, Stitching,, and Labelling: In this process, the dried specimens are stitched on the herbarium sheets. The field data are entered on the right-hand lower side.
5. Deposition: In this last process the sheets are arranged according to the Bentham and Hooker system of classification and genus. After intervals of six months, DDT and copper sulfate are sprayed to kill the insects.

Importance of Herbarium

Some of the important features of the Herbarium are mentioned below:

• The herbarium is used for research and exhibition therefore it provides detailed information about the specimen which are been stored. It also acts as an instant referral system in taxonomical studies.
• Herbarium can also be used for the classification of unknown plants.
• In the studies of plant specimens, the herbarium is used as a repository as it provides geographical and historical information about the different plant species.

Functions of Herbarium

Herbarium’s primary function is taxonomic research and complete identification whereas the secondary identification is to learn about the classifications. Some of the functions are mentioned below:

• The herbarium material is used for the study of anatomy, palynology, and the chemical properties of plants. The plant which is being carried out loans are preserved for future use.
• It is used for preserving plant wealth including the type of the material. It also provides information about the distribution and occurrence of plant species.
• The herbarium specimens can be monographs which can be prepared of families and genera. The specimens are based on the classification of the world’s flora.

FAQs on Herbarium

1. What do you mean by Herbarium?

Answer:

Herbarium refers to a collection of plant specimens that are first dried, pressed, and mounted and then they are labeled in the herbarium sheets. It is a repository of national plant wealth.

2. Write the methods used in making Herbarium?

Answer:

Some of the method which are used for making herbarium are mentioned below:

• Collection
• Drying
• Poisoning
• Mounting, Stitching and Labelling
• Deposition

3. Name the largest Herbarium in India?

Answer:

The largest Herbarium in India is Central National Herbarium which is located in the Indian Botanical Garden at Kolkata.

4. Write the main function of the Herbarium?

Answer:

The main function of a Herbarium is taxonomic research, complete identification, and classification. They are mainly used for the study of anatomy, palynology, and the chemical properties of the plants.

5. How is Herbarium collected?

Answer:

Creating a herbarium specimen; involves collecting a plant, specific points noted down, and then carefully pressing the plant to remove moisture. Once dried, the plant is stick to a herbarium sheet, with an appropriate label.