Australian National Herbarium (CANB & QRS)
(Program HC)

Program Leader: Brendan Lepschi

This program is responsible for maintaining the Australian National Herbarium (ANH) to the highest curatorial standards. Ongoing work includes the physical curation of the herbarium collection, provision of high-quality data and information, development and management of nationally important botanical datasets (e.g. Australian Plant Name Index, Australian Plant Census) and contribution to national and international data management partnerships.

The herbarium collections of the ANH are archivally maintained at two sites, Canberra (CANB) and Atherton (QRS), although the latter collection is soon to be moved to Cairns. Within Canberra, the collection is split between the Angiosperms located on the CSIRO site and the Cryptogams located on the ANBG site. Specimens representing 'standards' for registered cultivars and Plant Breeders Rights are also part of the collection. Specimens are preserved with high levels of accuracy in identification, botanical nomenclature and associated field data. The specimen collections play an important role in the CPBR's research projects and represent an invaluable historic record of the Australasian flora.

The Australian Plant Image Index is a collection of 35mm Kodachrome slides of plant portraits and vegetation/habitats managed by the Australian National Botanic Gardens in association with the Australian National Herbarium. Many of the photos link to herbarium specimen records and data is stored on a common database.

Both parent organisations, CSIRO and Dept of the Environment and Water Resources, support a library annexe for the Herbarium, one in the Herbarium on the CSIRO site, the other in the Herbarium on the ANBG site.

Australian National Herbarium
Specimens in the Herbarium
Australian Tropical Herbarium
Cryptogam Collection
Cultivar Collection
Loans and Exchange
Australian Plant Image Index
Library Resources

The IBIS database, managed as part of Program HB, contains some very large datasets populated and managed by the Herbarium. ANHSIR contains information about the herbarium collection, APNI and APC are datasets for the whole of Australia.

Herbarium National Herbarium Specimen Information Register (ANHSIR)
Australian Plant Name Index (APNI)
Australian Plant Census (APC)
Australia's Virtual Herbarium (AVH)
Australian Mangroves (ALA project)

The program provides botanical information and identification services to public, professional and commercial clients. The Herbarium is also responsible for the accurate naming of plants in the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Whilst the herbarium collection is closed to the general public, open days, public lectures and occasional tours are available. Reference herbaria are maintained as self-help resources for the public in Canberra, Jervis Bay and Atherton. The ANH is also involved in a number of community partnerships, tertiary student programs and relies on its volunteer specimen mounting program.

Plant Enquiry Service
Herbarium Tours
Public Reference Herbarium
Volunteer Program
Botanical Interns
Labelling the Australian National Botanic Gardens

Scientific and Technical Staff

PROGRAM LEADER

Lepschi, Brendan #

STAFF, HONORARY ASSOCIATES & STUDENTS

Listed for individual projects