herbarium-collections
Herbarium collections are repositories of preserved, dried plant specimens catalogued with location, date, and collector data, forming a physical archive of plant diversity spanning centuries. These collections serve as irreplaceable scientific records for plant science, enabling researchers to study historical species distributions, document morphological variation, and track how plants have responded to environmental changes over time. With advances in digitization and genomic techniques, herbarium specimens are increasingly being mined for DNA, chemical data, and phenological information, extending their value far beyond traditional taxonomy.
PubMed · 2026-04-01
Scientists are calling for better-organized plant DNA banks to preserve genetic material from species at risk of extinction. By leveraging existing dried herbarium specimens, institutions can build structured DNA collections before irreplaceable plant diversity disappears.
Plant biodiversity DNA banks are currently scarce relative to the scale and pace of ongoing plant species loss globally.
Existing herbarium specimens (dried plant collections in museums and universities) represent an underutilized source for extracting and preserving plant DNA.
Structuring departmental DNA collections with clear protocols could significantly extend the value of physical specimen archives for conservation and research.