2. Specimen management
Why collect vouchers?
As outlined in the GGG protocol, we request that vouchers are made of plants that you encounter in your plots. This is so that the identification can be verified in the herbarium. It is best practice to collect two specimens of each species, so that the original is left in the regional herbarium near your study area and a duplicate specimen can be exported to an international herbarium.
Finding a regional and international herbaria
A map of herbaria that GGG already collaborates with is available here, and you can search for your nearest on the Index Herbariorum.
Organising exports
Exporting plant specimens requires paperwork, usually including:
- Collection permits
- Phytosanitary certificates
- A letter of permission to export
Your contact at a herbarium can usually advise you about the process of organising an exportation.
If you have questions about organising specimen transfers between herbaria, feel free to contact us.
Confirming identifications
While you will have given field names to most species, it is recommended that the identification of each species is confirmed by a taxonomic expert at a herbarium by looking at the vouchers you collected. You should use these determined identifications for your final analyses.