"Contains chapters on the conservation of herbarium sheets and on the collection and curation of the larger algae. The chapter on computers has been completely rewritten and much enlarged, as have those on pests and treatments, larger fungi and economic botany. The sections on liquid preservatives and on pesticides have been revised to take into account new health and safety regulations. An essential reference work for herbarium managers and technicians and for all those who are involved with the making and maintenance of herbarium collections." --NHBS Environment Bookstore.

This stunningly beautiful book throws open the closed doors of the Sydney herbaria, and the history of Australia's flora.

“A sweeping history of the origins, development, and future of herbaria and their role in plant consternation.” —The American Gardener Since the 1500s, scientists have documented the plants and fungi that grew around them, organizing the specimens into collections. Known as herbaria, these archives helped give rise to botany as its own scientific endeavor. Herbarium is a fascinating enquiry into this unique field of plant biology, exploring how herbaria emerged and have changed over time, who promoted and contributed to them, and why they remain such an important source of data for their new role: understanding how the world’s flora is changing. Barbara Thiers, director of the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium at the New York Botanical Garden, also explains how recent innovations that allow us to see things at both the molecular level and on a global scale can be applied to herbaria specimens, helping us address some of the most critical problems facing the world today.

The Herbarium Handbook has been an important reference for herbarium collections care and management since it was first published in 1989. This completely new edition draws on standard herbarium practices and personal experience from experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as well as contributions from partners and collaborators around the world, making it a celebration of collective knowledge. The book covers everything needed for contemporary herbarium management, from creating collections, preparing and caring for specimens and managing a herbarium building, through to public engagement and outreach, and features highlights of herbaria from around the world. Highly accessible and adaptable, this richly illustrated handbook is the essential resource and training tool for all botanists, herbarium managers and curators involved in the making and maintenance of herbarium collections.