Plants and fungi are incredibly diverse and important forms of life. They form much of the living matrix that makes up the world around us, from dense cities to remote wildernesses. We often think of, and study, plants and fungi as single species or individuals. However, species and individuals do not exist in isolation. They form communities characterized by dynamic interactions with each other and their environments. Understanding interactions, biotic (with other living things) or abiotic (with non-living things and the environment), is key to understanding and safeguarding our planet for future generations.

This Virtual Herbarium interface is designed to put plants and fungi into the broader context of their communities, environments and interactions. Rather than searching for individual species and specimens, the interface is structured to facilitate exploration of communities and environments spatially at the scale of individual sites. The Site Locator can be used to explore and locate these data visually through a map.