Catalog of Lichens

The Duke Lichen Herbarium now provides just over 10,000 herbarium specimen records online. The collections database is updated frequently. The user has the option to search all the catalog data at one time, or to search one subset of it (exsiccates). The subset returns the identical collection data as full database search, with additional information depending on the subset type.

The Lichen Full Search option will return collection data of all lichen specimens currently cataloged, including types and exsiccates, including older determinations of specimens where appropriate. All determinations of a specimen are shown in separate lines in the web results page. You can proceed to the detail page by clicking on the catalog number of any result. All determinations will be grouped and shown together in the detail page.

The Lichen Exsiccate Search option allows you to search the Duke exsiccate collection. Not all specimens have been entered.

Two types of searches are available for each option:
Express search looks up a term in any field of the database (similar to Google search).
Advance search looks for term(s) in selected specific fields.

List of taxa available in the lichen catalog (link not yet available).

Questions about the data base or its use should be addressed to B. Shaw.

Sear Tips and Notes

To search for specimens by plant name (genus, species, subspecies, varieties), collector, collector number, barcode number, or type status, use the Express Search. To search one or more specific fields in the database, use the Advanced Search. Advance Search is significantly faster, as the search is performed only within the specified field.

Maximum number of returned records in one search is 10,000.

The Scientific Name field can be used to search by the taxon name consisting of genus, species, subspecies (ssp.), and varieties (var.). For example, the search term "anomala" finds specimens of Pseudocyphellaria anomala, Pyrenula anomala, etc.

Rolling the mouse over the field name in advance search shows field description and search hints for ambiguous fields.

Wildcard character (*) can be used to find partial words, but search times will be significantly longer. In case of negative search result, repeat the search without it.

Web Results Page

When a search is launched, matching records are sought, and if found, these are displayed in a tabular format:

Search result page example

All determinations of a single specimen are shown in separate lines in the web results page. Such specimens share an identical Barcode number. The data displayed are a subset of the information captured for all specimens.

The taxon name marked as "Yes" in the column Current designates the name according to which the specimen is filed in the herbarium.

The author abbreviations of scientific names are not shown; they are used according to the North American Lichen Checklist or the Index of Fungi (for taxa from other regions).

The name of the person who made the determination, and names of collectors are presented in the format: Last name, First name, Middle initial.

In the Web Results Page, Users have the option to download all Search Results in three formats:

comma-delimited text file (button CSV)
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (button XLS)
Extensible Markup Language (button XML).

Data downloads larger that 10,000 records, or download requests that include information beyond that included in the Web Results Page table, are available by request. Such requests should be submitted via email to the Data Managers.

The Specimen Detail Page

It is possible to view more information about a specimen than is shown on the Search Results page. Users may look at a single record by clicking on the Barcode link in the Web Results table.

The second table displays all the different binomials that have been applied to this specimen including the names of scientists who have annotated it (if such information is available), and the date of such event. Any verifications of the particular determination, or comments on the identification or nomenclature noted on annotation labels, are present in the Notes on determination field. Type specimens are marked in the last column.

Specimen identifiers

DUKE lichen herbarium uses barcode as a unique identifier. Barcode refers to the barcode attached to the specimen.

FAQs

Cannot find your taxon in the catalog?
Try other nomenclatural combinations of the taxon name. We welcome your feedback on errors in our data related to taxonomic and nomenclatural synonyms!

Using non-english alphabet?
We are currently in process of removing accents from our data. Please try searching persons and localities both with and without accents in the names. Send us your feedback.

Want to limit taxon search to the most current identifications?
Enter the taxon name. Enter YES in search field Current.

Are images of the plant or the specimen label available?
We don't have specimen label images and lichen images available.

Am I searching your database directly?
The web search is querying a web cache; you are not searching the catalog directly. The web cache is being updated weekly.

Unsolvable problems?
Contact us.

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Duke University Herbarium