NMSU herbaria resources represent the premier reference collection for the entire southern half of New Mexico, surrounding areas and elements of northern Mexico. The herbaria include more than 80% of all vascular plant type specimens housed within the state.
NMC Herbarium. Founded in 1890, the NMSU Biology Herbarium (NMC) is both the oldest and second largest herbarium in the state, housing ca. 103,000 specimens rich in tracheophytes (vascular plants), bryophytes (mosses), and fungi (particularly rusts). Historical highlights from the collection are its vouchers used for the first Flora of New Mexico (Wooton & Standley 1915) and the legacy plant collections from renowned botanists E.O. Wooton, O.B. Metcalfe and C.G. Pringle. The herbarium houses an invaluable, irreplaceable type collection of 757 specimens (excluding paratypes) that serve as the basis of new species descriptions and stabilize botanical nomenclature for scientists around the world. In addition, NMC has comprehensive, unique, very well-curated collections belonging to numerous taxonomic groups, such as Asteraceae, Nyctaginaceae, Brassicaceae, Fagaceae (Oaks), and Poacaeae. A recent but quickly-growing subcollection of important biological soil crust cryptogams rich in lichens and algae, one of the least represented functional groups in most herbaria, is nicely complementing NMC. Specimens of NMC primarily document the floras of New Mexico, adjacent Texas and Arizona, and the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico.
NMCR Herbarium. Founded in 1956, The Range Sciences Herbarium (NMCR), with nearly 30,000 specimens, became formally active in 1979 and documents New Mexico rangelands, with particular emphasis on grasses and bryophytes from throughout the state. The NMCR moss collection is the largest of its kind in the State (ca. 3,000 current database records, CNABH 2017).
The specimens of NMCR document a great deal of the vascular flora of various areas of southern New Mexico, including many unique specimens without duplicate representation in NMC. Professional botanists have used NMCR specimens as the basis for a guide to the grasses of New Mexico and a series of comprehensive books on all aspects of its flora, which have become standard references for the state.
NMSU herbaria student interns and volunteers are special people. They care. They have a direct impact on achieving the mission and goals of the NMSU Herbaria. We recognize that our interns and volunteers provide the herbaria with a resource of talent that is unavailable in any other way. The NMSU herbaria values this contribution and hopes to offer each intern and volunteer a satisfying, productive, and rewarding experience.
