1. Making a Herbarium Specimen / Voucher

2. Out in the field collecting
Out in the field, collecting plant material to press.
Out in the field collecting

3. Doing the initial pressing, in the field

4. Some collected material, showing labeling

5. Collector on expedition, writing notes about their plant

6. Data that should be collected with the plant
Locality - including the country
Habitat
Altitude
Field identification
Collector’s name
Date of collection
Plant description

7. Processing specimens
When collecting plants in the field you need to press and dry them straight away to keep them in good condition

8. Checking the specimens before mounting them onto a herbarium sheet

10. Layout of a herbarium specimen
Label in bottom right hand corner, with other labels and capsule above.
Plant to left of label. If the specimen is large you can attach the label on the right hand side to flap over the specimen
Turn specimen to fit on page

11. Leaves
Both sides of the leaf should be shown

12. Flowers Show the front and back of flowers if possible
Try to open mature flowers out so that the inside is clearly visible
If there is plenty of material, keep some in an envelope

13. Herbarium specimens A Darwin original herbarium specimen
A present day herbarium specimen

14. A specimen collected by Darwin

15. Kew’s Herbarium where over 7 million pressed plants are kept