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Intermountain Herbarium Holdings: Specimen Database

The Intermountain Herbarium began databasing its specimen information in 1990, using Alpha Database Software. We now use Index Kentuckiensis. Today (March 5, 2006) we have 87,500 records in the database. This represents slightly over 30% of the specimens in the herbarium. Of the databased records, 33% are of Utah specimens and 31% are of grasses. About 38% of the databased records are georeferenced (have latitude and longitude information), an essential for mapping distributions.

Our priority for entering specimens into the database are 1) specimens involved in a herbarium transaction (additions, annotations, loan preparation or return), 2) grasses, 3) Utah specimens. Grass specimens receive priority because the herbarium is the headquarters of the Grass Manual Project, including its Web version.

Our records can be downloaded from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Alternatively, information about our Intermountain Region specimens is available at the Web site developed by Dr. R. Fogel.