COLLECTION AND FIELD PREPARATION OF SPECIMENS*

I. Collecting Objectives and Planning.

1. Outline objectives for a specific expedition.
2. Prepare a list of all equipment to be utilized on a field expedition.
3. Obtain localities from herbarium specimens, if specific materials are needed. It is best, when possible, to have several localities in the event some areas have been disturbed. Check flowering and fruiting dates on the specimens in the herbarium.
4. Check local weather conditions and seasonal progress in the areas to be visited.
5. Collect duplicate specimens (replicates) except in the case of very rare or protected plants (check state laws and conservation lists). Other plants to be avoided include those noxious weeds or parasites and their host plants under state or federal quarantine. Duplicates provide sufficient material for dissection or, if needed, verification by a specialist.
6. Prepare voucher specimens (typical herbarium specimens) when collecting materials for cytological, anatomical, and other studies.
7. Obtain collecting permits and other necessary permission in advance, if possible, if a trip is planned to a specific area such as a national park, foreign country,or other area. It is also advisable to obtain permission for collecting on private la nds whenever possible.
8. Collect and document as many different species as possible in floristic studies. Do not overlook the inconspicious (so-called belly plants) or those plants which are difficult to collect or identify. Collect thoroughly in each habit.

II. Supplies and Equipment

1. Field press: A press typically consists of two hardwood frames, with each frame made as follows: 4 wood strips 3/4 x 1/4 x 18 inches, and 5 wood strips 3/4 x 1/4 x 12 inches. The five short strips should be equally spaced on the 4 longer s trips which are also equally spaced and nailed, or riveted securely at the intersection of the strips. The completed frame should be 12 x 18 inches. Repeat for the second frame. Some collectors prefer the cheaper and often stronger 12" x 18" plywood pres s boards cut from 3/8" fir plywood. A number of types of presses may be purchased from biological supply houses.
2. Driers (blotters): Excellent driers may be made by cutting sheets 11 x 16 inches from light-weight builders deadening felt (unsaturated) or from heavy blotting paper. Driers are also available from biological supply houses.
3. Newsprint: Cut paper 22 x 16 inches and fold to 11 x 16 inches. Many use newspapers as found on the newsstand but unused newsprint may be purchased in rolls from local printers. Biological supply houses usually offer prec ut papers.
4. Press straps (webbing straps): A pair of strong web straps (parachute or cinch type) with claw buckles are excellent for field purposes. Sash cord or rope is often also used. The minimum length for press straps is four feet.
5. Field notebook: A pocket-size book which will not disintegrate when wet and pencil or pen with water-proof ink are necessary items. Some prefer to keep two books--one taken to the field and another which remains in a safe place and into whi ch field notes are copied. If field labels are used, one is placed in the paper with the specimen and a copy kept by the collector. Field notebooks should be permanent.
6. String tags: Waterproof string tags are useful for labeling plants which are not pressed immediately following collection.
7. Diggers and clippers: Both pruning shears or garden clippers and digging tools are necessary. A trowel (preferably with a steel shank), geologist pick, dandelion digger or heavy sheath knife are excellent for field use. A small trench shov el and pocket knife are also useful.
8. Hand lens: For field observations and identifications a small 5x or l0x lens is desirable. These are generally available from bookstores and biological supply houses.
9. Collecting bottles: Glass or plastic bottles with leak-proof screw caps are often desirable for collecting some materials. The size used depends upon the materials to be collected. Small vial-type bottles are ideal for collecting floral bu ds, flowers for clearing and other materials to be preserved in liquid preservatives.
10. Liquid preservative: The type of solution used will, of course, depend on future use and type of material. For general anatomical purposes and materials such as wood, leaves, flowers and the like a mixture of Formalin-Acetic Acid-Alcohol (F AA) is widely used and may be prepared in the following manner:
    

    Ethyl alcohol (70%)	90cc.
    Formalin (commercial strength)	5cc.
    Glacial Acetic acid	5cc.

    Cytological materials are often fixed in a 6:3:1 mixture of Chloroform, 95% ethyl alcohol and glacial acetic acid or in Carnoy's Fluid (3:1 absolute ethyl alcohol and glacial acetic acid). Carnoy's containing 95% ethyl alcohol is useful for clearing leav es. (See Chapter 7). When using the 6:3:1 mixture the glacial acetic acid should not be added until materials are ready to be fixed. After materials have been in fixative for 24-48 hours, the fixative should be discarded and materials stored in 70% alco hol. At Kew, a solution of 50% alcohol, 5% Formalin, 5% glycerol and 40% water is used for storing plant materials. Each vial should contain a field label. Use pencil and slips of bond paper; the numbers should correspond to those in the field notebook.
11. Vascula and collecting bags: Plant materials not pressed in the field immediately may be stored in a metal container (vasculum) in folds of wet paper. Due to the cost and bulkiness of this container many now prefer to use plastic bags (turkey or fertilizer) or rubber-lined canvas bags (military laundry bags). Local conditions will determine in part the type of bag to be used, but avoid exposure to sun, particularly if clear plastic bags are used. All materials should be carefull y labeled to avoid confusion when materials are pressed.
12. Waxed paper: A roll of waxed paper available in supermarkets is useful in pressing many plants, particularly those that are viscid or which deliquesce. A single sheet placed over the material can greatly facilitate the removal of mat erials from the pressing paper.
13. Manila coin envelopes: Small coin envelopes are excellent for collecting seeds, individual flowers, leaves, pollen, pollinators and other materials which cannot or should not be pressed. These should always be carefully labelled with the co llection number.
14. Trays, cans, jars for living materials: It is often desirable to collect living materials for experimental work in the garden or greenhouse. A variety of containers may be used and will depend on the type of material to be collected an d the length of time materials must be stored.
15. Cardboard storage boxes: Merrill cases or other cardboard containers which can be purchased flat make excellent storage for dry materials removed from the press in the field. It is advisable to use an insecticide or repellent if materials are to be stored for an extended period of time.
16. Insecticides and repellents: Moth crystals or flakes (naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene) may be used as repellents. Considerable quantities of paradichlorobenzene in an air-tight container may be used as an insecticide. An excelle nt treatment is to place PDB in the folds of the specimen paper, tie specimens into bundles, and seal in a plastic bag.
17. Maps: Highway, topographic, and geologic maps are often very useful in locating localities for particular species. Detailed county road maps can be obtained, usually at modest cost, from the state highway departments.
18. Camera: Photographs are of considerable value when collecting woody or other materials where entire plants are not pressed.
19. Color Charts: Several color charts are available for determinion of flower colors in the field, e.g., Horticulture Society Color Chart, Nickerson Color Fan, Horticultural Color Chart, etc.

III. Selection of Material.

The following suggestions which are largely adapted from DeWolf (1968), Fogg (1940), and Fosberg and Sachet (1965), and Smith (1971) are given to assist in the selection and collection of particular kinds of plants.

VIII. Identification of Collections