Herbarium | U-M LSA University of Michigan Herbarium

Featured Vascular Plant Specimen Marsh thistle (Cirsium muticum) is a native thistle that grows in moist to wet areas throughout Michigan. The deep rose-purple flowers and the weak spines make this species one of the most attractive thistles occurring in the state. Specimens of this species are included in the 1.1 million vascular plant collections in MICH.

Featured Moss Specimen MICH houses 2100 specimens of the widespread moss genus Brachythecium Schimp., which is named for its relatively short and thick capsules. In Michigan, Brachythecium is represented by ca. 15 species, which are documented at MICH by 307 collections.

Featured Fungus Specimen A cluster of "ghostly" golden chanterelles, Cantharellus phasmatis M.J. Foltz & T.J. Volk. Part of a cryptic species complex, this species was originally described from the driftless region of western Wisconsin. Foltz has recently confirmed using molecular techniques that populations exist here in Michigan, including the Washtenaw county specimens pictured here. Golden chanterelles are highly sought-after for their culinary value. The University of Michigan Herbarium holds over 1500 collections of Cantharellus as part of a fungal collection estimated to contain at least 285,000 specimens. Photo: M.J. Foltz

Featured Algae Specimen The type specimen of Pseudogrinnellia barrattiae M.J. Wynne (phylum Rhodophyta), described from Wadi Forh, Sultanate of Oman, northern Arabian Sea (Wynne 1999). This specimen has sori of sporangia scattered over the blade surface. This alga is one of approximately 106,000 specimens of algae in MICH.

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Recent News

Grad student curatorial project: U-M Herbarium discovers unique specimens in decades old ES George Reserve Herbarium collection

Zombie plants!? Not exactly – but when Jacqueline Popma undertook the graduate student curatorial project at the University of Michigan Herbarium, little did she know she would be bringing many plant specimens “back to life.”

Digitizing the U-M Herbarium collections: microfungi digitization project completed

As is often the case in the natural world, the unseen can have outsized impacts all around us. Such is the case with microscopic fungi, or microfungi, which can have major consequences on the function and health of ecosystems.

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Welcome to the Herbarium

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 world-class facility for teaching and research in systematic biology and biodiversity studies.

Michigan Flora April Featured Plant

Stylophorum diphyllum - This is our only native yellow-flowered poppy. The distinctive fat-ellipsoid fruit with hairy body and long beak well distinguishes it from all other species we have in the family, native or not. Learn More

Giving to the Herbarium

RMC Shuttle Service Information - Campus Transportation to the Herbarium

Michigan Flora Online

The Michigan Flora Website presents information about all vascular plants known to occur outside of cultivation. Information includes distribution maps, identification keys, discussions of species occurrence, and specimens documented.

Michigan Flora Website

Events

Apr

Dissertation defense: Plant quality mediates the response of disease to global environmental change

Leslie Decker, EEB graduate student

10:00 AM
1028 Dana Building

Apr

Dissertation defense: Deep homology and evolutionary tinkering in the origins of nodulation

Alex Taylor, EEB graduate student

12:00 PM
West Conference Room Rackham Graduate School (Horace H.)

Apr

Thesis defense: Chytrid in the lowlands: widespread fungal infection across Amazonian frog clades suggests critical role for low elevation in pathogen spread and persistence

Imani Russell, EEB graduate student

10:00 AM
2024 Dana Natural Resources Building

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Be a Victor

We strive to support the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts on the front lines of learning and research; to steward our planet, our community, our campus. To do this, the Herbarium needs you—because the world needs Victors.