Utah State University: Intermountain Herbarium

Intermountain Herbarium

Mission

To serve as a primary source of information on the flora and fungi of the Intermountain region, both native and introduced
To foster increased understanding and appreciation of the floristic diversity of the Intermountain Region

Summer Hours
Summer hours begin Friday May 3 and will run thru September 2 (Labor Day).

Hours are: Tuesday thru Friday 8-5;

We are closed Mondays

Summer Closures
June 17-24; June 27-30; July 4; July 24

With a busy schedule we encourage you to call ahead to make sure that the herbarium will be open and available when you wish to visit. Closed all University holidays, and periodically when our staff all need to be out of the office.

2013 Utah Botanical Foray
Thursday June 27 - Sunday June 30

Grouse Creek/ Raft River Mountains

Join the herbarium and the Utah Native Plant Society in this fun and engaging foray to explore the plant and fungal life of this unique portion of our state.

We will be headquartered at the Rosebud Field Station, approx. 61 miles WSW of Snowville just off Hwy. 30 on the eastern foothills of the Grouse Creek Mountains. Individuals of all levels of experience collecting plants are welcome to attend.

More information can be found here.

Richard J. Shaw Memorial Wildflower Walk
Tuesday June 4

6:00 pm

Green Canyon - meet at upper end of parking lot near the trailhead

Join local botanists as they talk about the local plant life. The plants blooming along the trail are always changing and the walk is never quite the same from year to year. no RSVP or ticket is required, and all are welcome to attend. This walk was named in honor of Dr. Dick Shaw who led it for many years.

Recent news and events

The Regional Web Site now brings you over 1,385,534 records from over 40 herbaria in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Utah, and Wyoming. Some herbaria are just getting started on digitization- but they are getting started; others are well on their way. [Feb. 13, 2013]

Bioluminescent fungi [BBC news, Jan 16, 2013]

Grass makes tires greener [Economist, Jan. 5, 2013]

The end of big trees? It is not just a consequence of deliberate logging.

Reconstruction of a 290 million years old Swamp Forest Inhabited by 10ft long centipede relatives and dragon-fly like insects with foot long wingspans. No dinosaurs and, of course, no humans. Lots of ferns,

Stinging Nettles Stinging nettles used to be used to be used to make cloth. It is not easy to distinguish nettle fibers from those of flax, which has also been in use for a long time, but it is now possible. A recent paper shows that nettle cloth was manufactured even in areas where flax cloth production was present. Anyone interested in making some next summer?

Cheatgrass Beer A new use for one of the American West's worst weeds. Online article

Fungi and Violins The Economist article about Fungi, Violins and Stradivarius

Identification keys: A multiaccess key to the genera of spore-bearing vascular plants (lycophytes, ferns, and horsetails) in the region has been added to the keys made available last year. All are rather plain in appearance at present - and all require Java.

Regional Web Site Link to site.

More networks: The Intermountain Herbarium is contributing records to four networks, for bryophytes, fungi, lichens, and vascular plants of the Southwest, Intermountain, and Rocky Mountain Region (SWIMeR). All four networks use the SYMBIOTA software so if you learn how to use one, you can use them all. The links will take you to each site.

2012 - Another banner year: During 2012, we added over 3460 specimens to the collection, more than in any of the last five years; increased the number of specimens databased by 5161; and imaged over 26,660 specimens. At the end of the year, we had ~260,227 specimens of which 111,084 had been databased.

Now available : Manual of grasses for North America; Grasses of the Intermountain Region. The manual has now been reprinted. The second printing has been spirally bound. No other changes have been made.

Pictures from the celebration of our 250,000th specimen.

Also: Set of eight different note cards featuring Utah Grasses. Cost $8 per set plus postage and handling. Order by contacting Michael Piep.

Special Features
Fun Facts About Fungi; Interactive keys; Fact Sheets; Grass treatments for North America; Intermountain Fern Guide (.pdf).

NOW! Look for us on Facebook!

CITES
CITES permit # 10US008768/9

Location
The herbarium is located in The Junction basement. Its mailing address is 5305 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-5305. Do not look for Old Main Hill when you arrive in town. It is a fiction. Go to the map and look for the basement of the Junction.

Mailing Address
5305 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-5305.

Visitors
The herbarium WELCOMES visitors. It is open from 8 am- 5 pm during the week. If research workers visiting the region cannot make it during these hours, they should contact Mary Barkworth. We shall try to accommodate your needs.

Items for Sale
The herbarium is selling note cards with illustrations of grasses and attractive prints made from some of its specimens. All proceeds go to the herbarium.

Contacts
Director: Mary Barkworth 435-797-1584 or
Assistant Curator: Michael B. Piep 435-797-0061

Intermountain Herbarium, Utah State University,
5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322-5305<

Other Local Events and Activities:

Cache Chapter - Utah Native Plant Society

Botanizing Utah by Horse & Buggy

Details above!

Date: Monday November 12 at 6:30 pm

Where: Utah State University - Veterinary Science & Bacteriology Room 215

Many members have lapsed memberships, please renew them!

To join the Utah Native Plant Society, go to the UNPS store. Make sure you specify Cache as the chapter you wish to join.

Contact Michael Piep for more chapter information at 797-0061 or michael.piep[at]usu.edu.
Find us on FACEBOOK!

Bridgerland Mushroom Society Activities

Meeting/gathering

Meeting

We regularly schedule meetings for the Third Wednesday of alternating months from October thru April starting at 7 pm (Place to be announced) and forays on the third Saturday May through September.