[NHCOLL-L:645] Small Herbarium Help

[Molly Fallon]

From:  The Nature Lab,                                
                                         July 3, 2000
          Rhode Island School of Design               
                                                      
          
                                                      
 

I am looking for advice/suggestions about a small
herbarium at the Rhode Island School of Design. 

        I am working with Karen Idoine, curator of the
"Nature Lab," to find an appropriate, accessible
system of classification for this neglected herbarium.
 It will eventually be used as a reference for art
students.

        The Herbarium has approximately 1000
specimens, (most
from the New England area, but some as far as
Switzerland)  and has been in disarray for many years.
 It seems as though the specimens were arranged by
some system.  (Hutchinson?)  Other names I have come
across are:  Cronquist, Dalgren, Thorn, etc.  I am
currently referencing a book called "Taxonomy of
Vascular Plants"  (1951), by George H. M. Lawrence,
which arranges families by Engler and Diels.  We would
rather follow a system which groups genus, family and
order, like this book, rather than arranging the
specimens alphabetically.


        *I would appreciate any input or information
appropriate to this herbarium, as I do not know
anything about these different systems.

        *Could you also suggest any current books on
botany,
which we could add to our library?  Preferably some
with color illustrations or photos, but any which are
comprehensive.

                                                      
         Thank you for your help!
                                                      
         
                                                      
         Molly Fallon
                                                      
         Assistant at the Nature Lab, R.I.S.D.
                                                      
         
                                                      
         

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