Fern collections
Specimens from the fern herbarium including examples of Dipteris, Pityrogramma and Matonia
We house one of the most important collections of ferns and other seed-free vascular plants in the world, with around 350,000 specimens.
The collections contain a number of type specimens with some objects dating back more than 300 years.
Find a specimen
The collections are being digitised and are accessible via the Data Portal.
Specimens
350,000
Type specimens
7,000
Strengths
The collections cover global fern diversity and have particular geographical strengths in:
- Europe and the British Isles
- Malesia
- South Asia
- Tropical America
- Macaronesia
The collections span the seventeenth century to the present day. They are especially valuable due to their richness in types, historical collections and cytological vouchers.
Our fern type specimens are estimated to exceed 7,000, representing around 20 per cent of published fern names.
Specimens
Extant ferns: 255,000
Lycophytes: 25,000
Type specimens
Extant ferns: 6,600
Lycophytes: 400
Material type
Herbarium sheets: 275,000
Spirit collection: 1,000
Microscope preparations: 400
Unicorporated collections: 60,000
Important collections
- Carl Christensen's Herbarium
- John Smith's Herbarium
- A.H.G. Alston
- Clive Jermy
- Trevor Walker
- Christopher Fraser-Jenkins
- Irene Manton
- Irene Manton's research students, including Anne Sleep and Mary Gibby
John Smith herbarium specimen of Gleichenia dicarpa.
Carl Christensen herbarium specimen of Blotiella glabra from Africa.
Close-up of a Dryopteris dilatata herbarium specimen.
