What is a type specimen?
Type specimen of Rhododendron tsareinse Cowan from Tibet
A type specimen is the first of its species to be described and named. It is the key reference specimen - a unique voucher - to which the scientific name is attached.
Scientists refer back to it whenever they reassess the status of that species or need to confirm the identification of new material.
Types are essential to our work of identifying, describing and naming plants.