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The Hodgdon Herbarium constitutes a constantly growing primary data base for
biodiversity research, systematic and evolutionary investigations, and endangered species research. It also serves as a valued resource for related work in the areas of ecology, morphology, and anatomy. Furthermore, it provides an important source for positive identification of plant specimens (including poisonous plants and weed specimens), contains a wealth of biogeographical and ecological habitat data and serves as a repository for voucher specimens documenting research. It is an essential basic resource to provide training in plant systematics.

The Hodgdon Herbarium consists of about 194,000 specimens: 116,000 vascular plants,
75,000 marine algae, 550, bryophytes, and 2525 seed specimens. Additionally, there is a large backlog of specimens from earlier and current research to be processed. A small fungal teaching collection is maintained separately by the mycology/plant pathology program.

Vascular Plant Collection: Curator - Dr. Garrett E. Crow (gec@christa.unh.edu)

Size: 116,000 sheets.

Types: The collection includes a significant number of nomenclatural type specimens, specimens from which new species were described: 7 holotypes, 7 isotypes, 13 syntypes, 6 paratypes, and 1 cotype.

The vascular plant collection reflects a strong regional flavor, being especially strong in northern New England. The collection is especially rich in New Hampshire and Maine holdings. Additionally the research of the previous curator, Albion R. Hodgdon, and Radcliffe B. Pike added considerable specimens from the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy regions. Field work by Garrett Crow, the present director, and his students have added numerous specimens from New England, Newfoundland, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Russia, Costa Rica, and Bolivia

Marine Algal collection: Curator - Dr. Arthur C. Mathieson (arthur@hopper.unh.edu)

Size: 75,000 sheets.

Types: 2 nomenclatural isotypes.

The marine algal collection was recently evaluated by an USDA CSRS Review Team and described as an outstanding collection with strong points including the contemporary nature of the collection and its richness as documentation of the ecology of the Great Bay Estuary. A majority of the collection represents the geographic region of Newfoundland to Long Island Sound. Additionally there are significant holdings representing the Caribbean and Florida region, the Pacific Northwest. the British Isles, and North Africa.

As a result of research by Dr. Mathieson and his students, the New England marine algal specimens represent some of the most "exhaustive" documentation of coastal and estuarine habitats throughout the world. The specimens from the estuarine habitats have been very important in the delineation of specific environmental impacts of nuclear power plants, biogeographic and phenological patterns of individual taxa, and floristic composition

UNH has long been noted as attractive institution because of the strength of the freshwater and marine biology program. Thus, it is significant that the Herbarium exhibits an important strength in its richness of aquatic and wetland collections, both of the freshwater and the marine environments.  

 

File Created: April 20, 1998
Last Updated: June 17, 1999