Herbarium

A world-class research museum with 1.7 million specimens dedicated to the study of plant & fungal diversity in Michigan, the Great Lakes, & globally.

The University of Michigan Herbarium is home to some of the finest botanical collections in the world. The 1.7 million specimens of vascular plants, algae, bryophytes, fungi, and lichens combined with the expertise of the faculty-curators, students, and staff provide a worldclass facility for teaching and research in systematic biology and biodiversity studies.  The organismal and genetic resource collections such as those in the Herbarium provide the best tangible record we have of life on Earth and constitute a crucial resource for use in research and education benefiting science, society, and the university.  Working collaboratively within the highly regarded Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, our goal is to make UM a leading center for training and research in studies of the history, the change mechanisms, and the conservation of Earth’s diverse life forms.

Utilizing modern and classical methods our researchers study some of the largest genera of flowering plants in the world, with consequent issues of conserving rare plants, assessing biodiversity, and conveying that information to the interested public in a timely manner. Ultimately we strive to contribute knowledge and expertise about the growing loss of biodiversity worldwide on both the local and global level.