Christmas Lichen
Specimen StoriesCabinet of Curiosities
This bright-colored lichen is called the 'Christmas Lichen' because of its bright…
Some Algae of Nova Scotia
Although the bulk of specimens that find their way into the New…
Lettuce Lichen
Similar to the Old Man’s Beard, Lungwort lichens can only thrive in…
George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver (1860s–1943) was an inventor, teacher, botanist, and mycologist (a…
Madagascar periwinkle
Commonly known as Madagascar periwinkle, this member of the dogbane family has…
Fig family, Moraceae
Ficus carica L., the edible common fig has been cultivated for millenia.…
Mary Treat
Those who have read Barbara Kingsolver's newest novel, Unsheltered, will be familiar with the…
Smooth rock tripe
This Umbilicaria species is regarded to be one of the largest lichens…
Women's Scientific Empowerment
Natural history was immensely popular in the Victorian era, but women were…
Typical: Astragalus cusickii var. packardiae
Covered in flower dissection illustrations by Rupert Barneby — we should all…
A trip to Fire Island with Peggy Hopkins
While we might not get to summer with the likes of Madonna…
Prairie White Fringed Orchid
Nearly all of the habitat of the endangered Prairie White Fringed Orchid…
Damaged by enemy action
Herbarium specimens are windows into the past and can help us answer…
Good grief, Charles Geyer
Charles (Karl) A. Geyer was a pioneer botanical collector of the Northwestern…
Typical: Hibiscadelphus stellatus
This type specimen is like a postcard from Hawaii reading "Wish you…
Royal Collector
Cabinet of CuriositiesCollectors
Prince Henri of Orléans, a French royal, collected this parasitic fungi in Tibet while…
Mary Emily Eaton
Mary Emily Eaton was an accomplished natural history illustrator employed at the…
What is a type specimen?
When a researcher names a new species (or other taxon) of algae,…