Virtual Herbarium Page Contents

  1. Genus Species (if identifiable)
  2. Family (if indentifiable)
  3. Chuukese name (if named in Chuukese)
  4. English name (if named in English)
  5. Kosraen name (if named in Kosraen)
  6. Pohnpeian name (if named in Pohnpeian)
  7. Yapese name (if named in Yapese)
  8. Growth form (herb, shrub, tree, vine)
  9. Growth location: terrestrial, epiphytic, aquatic.
  10. Growth environment: forest, savannah, mangrove, cultivated garden, etc.
  11. Growth zone: Tropical
  12. Average height (in centimeters or meters as appropriate). Talk to Lee Ling on tree height measurements.
  13. Stem--branching pattern, shape, pubescence (presence of hairs), color; bark characters if woody
  14. Leaf arrangement
  15. Stipule---present/absent, if present--shape, size, color, unusual features, etc
  16. Petioles--length, surface, other features; or stipe and rachis description for ferns.
  17. Leaf blade--shape, dimensions, apex, base, color, pubescence, venation, margin. If doing ferns see Lee Ling for guidance on frond descriptors.
  18. Inflorescence--type, average number of flowers, peduncle length, pedicel length, pubescence (hairiness, if any). For ferns describe the sori: shape, color, presence or absence of indusia, pattern the sori make on the frond, location of the sori relative to the midrib and frondlets. For plants with strobili (cones) try to locate a cone and describe the cone.
  19. Floral bracts--if present, shape, size, color
  20. Flower--symmetry, sex, arrangement of male and female flowers if unisexual
  21. Calyx--number of parts, degree of fusion (if any),shape, size, pubescence, color
  22. Corolla--number of parts, degree of fusion (if any), shape, size, color, pubescence
  23. Stamens--number, insertion, arrangement, filament length, anther shape, length, dehiscence, color
  24. Ovary--position, size, number of carpels (sections), pubescence, color
  25. Style--length, color, stigma--number of lobes/branches, shape, color
  26. Fruit--type, dimensions, surface features, dehiscence (how many parts it splits into naturally)
  27. Seed--number per fruit, shape, dimensions, surface features
  28. Anything else--scent, glands, pollinator, habitat, etc.
  29. Cultural usage if any (food, medicinal, legends, meaning as a gift, etc.)

For measurements, you may give a range, e.g. 3 to 5 mm. Use metric measurements. For shapes, you may use a "to" statement, e.g. blades ovate to lanceolate. Refer to your vegetative and floral character and morphology handouts to help with the terminology.

Many of these sections apply only to angiosperms, some sections would be omitted for gymnosperms and seedless vascular plants. Use your best judgement and adapt the descriptions seen below.

Adapted from: http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/tfplab/pdesc.htm

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