Herbaria
provide crucial resources for biodiversity and evolutionary research.
An herbarium consists of dried, often pressed, plant specimens that have been
collected over broad geographic ranges and over many years. Multiple samples of
individual species collected from different habitats are typically preserved so
that variation among individuals can be documented, and related to ecological
factors. Herbarium and museum collections comprise the basic materials for obtaining
information about the world's biodiversity. Herbarium specimens also provide materials
for research on variation at the DNA level, genome structure, and gene expression.
The Duke Herbarium contains a total of just under 800,000 specimens of vascular plants, bryophytes, algae, lichens, and basidiomycete fungi, including over 1900 types. The collection is especially rich in specimens from the southeastern United States, but has synoptic representation worldwide.
- Information for visitors
- Consultation and loan of specimens
- Destructive sampling policy
- Accessioning and exchange policy
- Terms of Data Use
2008
Duke University Herbarium, Durham, NC 27708 USA.
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feedback and suggestions.
Duke University | Department of Biology