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Herbarium Database

The Herbarium Database, an application for Microsoft Access, is used to create a simple, searchable database of herbarium specimens. In addition, the application allows the user the printing of specimen labels from records in the database. Its creators believe that the Herbarium Database may be most appropriately used in personal and small institutional herbaria.

Download the Herbarium Database (.mdb, 532 kb)

Download a Simplified Guide to the Herbarium Database (.pdf, 91 kb)

Flowering Plants of Western New York

Photography by Lincoln Nutting

Flowering Plants of Western New York is a portfolio of 495 photographs of wildflowers, flowering shrubs and vines growing without cultivation in Western New York state. The portfolio frequently includes several images of a species including habitat views, general views, and detailed views of the inflorescence, flowers, and fruits. This non-technical resource is intended for use by educators, students, and naturalists. To assist this audience, the portfolio employs the two popular field guides to the flora of the Northeastern United States; Wildflowers of Northeastern/North Central North America (Roger Tory Peterson, 1968) and the Newcomb's Wildflower Guide (Lawrence Newcomb, 1977).

2019

Statistics

acquired about 400 vascular plant specimens; so far 240 have been added to the collection
about 98 individuals obtained services or were hosted as visitors: this number includes students from Bio 210 and three classes from Art and Design
three individuals worked over 50 volunteer hours in the Eckert Herbarium

Actions

collectors include J. Schlegel (122), J. Battaglia (93), J. Tutus (34), L. Nussele (6), and R. Rosche (3); ECK also acquired 160 specimens from Sweden; they have not yet entered the collection
ECK answered 1 inquiry from the public, and trained 11 WNY PRISM interns; a request for instruction in plant identification was refused
R. Warren and his co-author graduate students (Biology 612, Spring 2018) submitted a paper to the Journal of Urban Ecology. It is the first academic paper to originate at ECK.
J. Battaglia attended a workshop on SUNY herbaria at Oneonta State College and a NY Natural Heritage meeting on the status of rare plants at the Buffalo Museum of Science.
last year's interdepartmental project with Art and Design and Fashion and Textile Technology culminated this year with an exhibition at the Art and Design Department's main gallery, the Czurles-Nelson Gallery, in January 2019; also the Office of International Students and Scholars used 5 designs from the project for sets of note cards. Packaged sets they will be given as gifts to incoming/visiting scholars
participated in a second poster presentation at Faculty Creativity Day re. the spring 2018 collaboration with Art and Design and Fashion and Textile Technology

2018

Statistics

added about 259 specimens to the vascular plant collection
about 180 individuals obtained services or were hosted as visitors: students from Bio 210, 212 and 612; four classes from Art and Design, 1 student from Earth Sciences and Science Education, plus 2 additional students who started unrealized projects

Actions

collectors include J. Schlegel (77), J. Battaglia (62), M. Rivalis (6), and M. Suita (3); also acquired specimens from Idaho, of which 120 entered the collection
ECK assisted 5 BSC professors/staff and 3 outside scientists, answered 1 inquiry from the public, and trained 4 WNY PRISM interns; denied a request for instruction in plant identification
participated in interdepartmental projects with Geography and Planning, Art and Design, and Fashion and Textile Technology: these projects included GIS mapping of vouchers of lichens from Western New York, creating designs from the herbarium's specimens, 13 of which were printed and used for apparel at Fashion Tech's annual fashion show
exhibited collections of vascular plants from 1869 at the Butler Library
participated in a poster presentation at Faculty Creativity Day re. last spring's collaboration with Art and Design

2017

Statistics

added 265 specimens to the vascular and non-vascular plant collections
161 individuals obtained services or were hosted as visitors

Actions

the herbarium moved to new temporary quarters in SAMC 56
collectors include; Richard Rosche, (127) Joanne Schlegel (77), James Battaglia (49), and 3 others (10)
the vascular plant collection was reorganized; it is now alphabetical by family, genus and species: family names follow the Alphabetical List by Modern Family downloaded from BONAP; genus and species names follow ITIS or The Plant List
ECK assisted 3 faculty members, 2 graduate students from Brockport State and 12 undergraduates at Fredonia State; it responded to requests from staff at the NYBG, the NYNRP (3), the Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart (Germany), and the USDA-NRCS-ENTSC-NPTD
1 work study student performed routine curatorial duties for 4 hours
30 students from Design 101 and 103 used specimens in the completion of an assignment, this activity was an attempt to find new uses for the collection

2016

Statistics

added over 1,100 specimens to the vascular and non-vascular plant collections
hosted 32 visitors: assisted graduate students (2) from Buffalo State, SUNY-ESF, and Wichita State University; also assisted a professor from Ohio University and one person in a case of poisoning

Actions

collectors include: Richard Rosche, (91) Javier Peñalosa (29 mosses), J. Battaglia (88 liverworts and mosses), Joanne Schlegel (12), and Ron Lange (92); the herbarium also acquired vascular plant collections from Dunne-Palmer Herbarium (UMO) (132), Quebec (330), western Massachusetts (223), western Pennsylvania (52), and Stoney Forensics Inc. of Virginia (162)
acquired 134 specimens from the Robin Hill Arboretum and Nature Preserve (Lyndonville, New York); cooperated with the Geography and Planning Department to create an interactive map of the preserve
two work study students and a student volunteer performed routine curatorial duties over two semesters
prepared for its move to Science and Mathematics Complex
sent 50 specimens from the Lake Erie Project to MICH and CLM

2015

Statistics

added 296 sheets to the vascular plant collection
Twenty-two persons visited or utilized the herbarium

Actions

collectors include: Richard Rosche (South Carolina), Javier Peñalosa (Maine, California), Joanne Schlegel (western New York, Florida), Ron Lange (Florida). Andrea Locke, John Titus
stabilized all specimens in the Asteraceae, Pinaceae, and most of the Cupressaceae
sent 49 specimens to FLAS

2014

Statistics

added 511 new collections to the vascular plant collection (See Actions)
Thirty-eight persons utilized or visited the herbarium

Actions

significant acquisitions include: Richard Rosche, 229 specimens from Arizona, New Mexico and South Carolina; Philip E. Hyatt, 41 specimens in the Cyperaceae; Joanne Schlegel, Albert Garofalo, and Jim Battaglia 127 specimens from the Lake Erie Shore Survey
The Eckert Herbarium registered with the Index Herbariorum. The abbreviation for the Eckert Herbarium is ECK
completed a project to supply each vascular plant specimen with a fragment envelope
sent 19 specimens of lichens to NYS

2013

Statistics

added 500 new collections to the vascular plant collection (See Actions)
responded to 6 requests for assistance
sent 65 specimens to NYS

Actions

acquired from Philip E. Hyatt (Mt. Hope, Arkansas) 143 specimens in the Cyperaceae, a significant gift
acquired 132 specimens in the Asteraceae from NYS
conducted Tree Identification station at WNY Science Olympiad
David Werier (Ithaca, New York) examined and annotated all collections in the Juncaceae and Poaceae
field work for the Lake Erie Project ends
assisted with an undergraduate research project
review, annotate, and repair vascular specimens

2012

Statistics

added 700 new specimens to the vascular plant collection (See Actions)
71 specimens sent to NYS
responded to 4 requests for assistance
hosted 19 visitors

Actions

acquired Dellea Herbarium (1898-1902), about 400 sheets
David Werier (Ithaca, NY) examined and annotated the Cyperaceae
loaned 25 specimens for Tree Identification station at WNY Science Olympiad
hosted Plant Taxonomy class from Fredonia State College
continued field work at Lake Erie Coast Project
review, annotate, and repair vascular specimens

2011

Statistics

added about 1,000 new specimens of vascular plants (see Actions)
responded to 4 requests for assistance
hosted 3 visitors
2 student assistants worked in the herbarium

Actions

accepted 335 duplicate specimens from New York State Museum (NYS); 149 specimens were sent to NYS
acquired the herbarium of US Army Corps of Engineers (Buffalo District), an small informal collection formerly used for training; 183 specimens
introduced the herbarium to the US Army Corps of Engineers
conducted plant identification workshop for US Army Corps of Engineers
continued field work for Lake Erie Coast Project
vascular plant collection screened for the Ontario Natural Heritage Inventory
review, annotate, and repair vascular specimens

2010

Statistics

none for this shortened reporting period

Actions

date of annual report changed from January to May
review, annotate and repair vascular plant specimens
commenced field work for Lake Erie Coast Project

2009

Statistics

added 2,500 specimens of vascular plants (See Actions)
responded to 7 requests for assistance
obtained estimate from Viking Cabinet of $45,539 for 26 herbarium cabinets and compactor, installed

Actions

acquired Niagara's herbarium, about 2,000 specimens plus 4 small cabinets and sundry supplies.
completed Herbarium Database, a Microsoft Access application for data basing small herbaria. Posted the Herbarium Database and A Guide to the Herbarium Data Base, an instruction manual, at the herbarium's webpage.
prepared and posted at the herbarium web page Flowering Plants of Western New York State, a non-technical, resource for students, educators, and naturalists.
ECK agreed to partner with Albert Garofalo (Welland, Ontario) and others in the Ecological Survey of the Lake Erie Coast in Ecodistrict 7E-5 (the Lake Erie Coast Project)
review, annotate, and repair vascular plant specimens
Construction began on Phase 1 of the Science/Mathematics Complex; Phase 3 will include a new herbarium

2008

Statistics

added 412 new specimens of vascular plants
the Merryman herbarium (327 sheets, circa 1900) was sent to the herbarium of the University of Wisconsin (Madison)
acquired 100 specimens the University of Wisconsin
responded to 8 requests for assistance
received 11 used herbarium cabinets from Cornell University
loaned 33 specimens to New York State Invasive Plant Council
1 student assistant worked in the herbarium

Actions

began work on data base application based on Microsoft Access
presentation on plant collecting at Niagara University
vascular plant collection reorganized according to Gleason and Cronquist (1992), created the new version of A Guide to the Eckert Herbarium
review, annotate, and repair vascular plants
assisted at activities of the Biology Club
published in Clintonia a note on the status of Adlumia fungosa and Dipsacus laciniatus in WNY and a new taxon to the region, Sedum album

2007

Statistics

added 160 new specimens of vascular plants
added 84 specimens for exchange from the Route 219 Project
sent three boxes of specimens to new herbaria at Fredonia State College and at Plattsburgh State College
responded to 2 requests for assistance
herbarium hosted three visitors
one student assistant worked in the herbarium

Actions

Dr. Daniel Potts assumed the position of Director of the Eckert Hebarium
With the Clinton Herbarium, collected spring ephemerals at proposed site of Interstate 219 extension
improved lighting
reorganized the vascular plants following Fernald (1952)
created A Guide to the Eckert Herbarium
began to review, annotate, and repair all specimens of vascular plants
assisted at activities of the Biology Club
published in Clintonia a note on Eupatorium serotinum, a taxon new to WNY

2006

Statistics

added 25 new specimens of vascular plants

Actions

all cabinets were cleaned inside and out; discarded wooden cabinets, unused equipment, outdated books and documents
larger tables improved the work space; ordered new references and maps
began monitoring the insect population and introduced non-toxic insect deterrents
sent several boxes of specimens to new herbaria at Fredonia State College and Plattsburgh State College
placed all specimens with the same name in the same place

Biology

Buffalo State • 1300 Elmwood Ave • Science and Mathematics Complex 166
Buffalo, NY 14222 • Phone: (716) 878-5203 • Fax: (716) 878-4028

biology@buffalostate.edu

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