Ask PLANTMAN!
Plant ID
Have an interesting plant you'd like identified? Ask Plantman about it!
- If you are in the Columbia area, you can collect a sample (preferably with flowers and/or fruits) and bring it
by the
herbarium. Call 803-777-8175 for an appointment/directions.
- Send a photo. Email digital images (JPEG format) to plantman@herbarium.org. Mail photographs to:
A. C. Moore Herbarium
Department of Biological Sciences
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208 - Send a fresh or dried specimen. Ship to address above.
Small plants can usually be sent intact, with roots and underground parts. Larger, woody plants (shrubs and trees) usually can be identified without including underground parts. The plant specimen should be placed in a small plastic bag, with a damp paper towel inside. Punch a few holes in the bag, and then seal it inside a box or manila envelope.
Pressed specimens are easy to make. Simply place the plant material inside a single fold of newspaper. Absorbent paper, such as paper towels, will be helpful, too. Sheets of cardboard may be placed on both sides of the specimen, or a homemade plant press can be used. Several pounds of weight should be placed on top of the cardboard in order to flatten the specimen as much as possible, and with few wrinkles. Care should be taken to replace the paper toweling each day, as it may become damp as the plant dries. Specimens dried this way are usually ready in about one week.