Jaramillo, Patricia

Tye, Alan

English

Aquatic Commons

32 NOTICIAS DE GALÁPAGOS No. 62
INTRODUCTION
An herbarium is an indispensable tool for all botani-
cal research since plant studies depend on reliable
identifications.  For many difficult taxonomic groups,
well-prepared specimens are essential for identification.
Herbarium collections also provide material for tradi-
tional (morphological) and modern (genetic) research in
plant systematics, evolution, and ecology.
Until 1963, all plant collections made in Galápagos
had been sent to herbaria located outside the Galápagos
Islands (Mauchamp and Aldaz 1997).  Large or important
collections from Galápagos are deposited at:  the Royal
Botanic Garden, Kew, UK; Cambridge University, UK
(including most of Darwin’s collections); and the Califor-
nia Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, USA (Wiggins
and Porter 1971, Mauchamp and Aldaz 1997). In 1964, the
Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) created its own
herbarium to preserve important collections locally and
to facilitate botanical investigation in the islands. The
majority of the first collections were made in 1963–64 by
David Snow, Director of the CDRS at that time.  An impor-
tant contribution was made by I. L. Wiggins in 1966, who
left duplicates of the specimens collected for the prepara-
tion of the modern flora of the islands (Wiggins and Porter
1971). The herbarium received international recognition
in 1975 with its inclusion on the World Index Herbariorum
with the institutional identifier acronym of CDS.
Until 1994, herbarium maintenance was sporadic and
often not up to international standards, resulting in many
specimens still being deposited in other institutions
(Mauchamp and Aldaz 1997). In March 1994, the collec-
tions were moved to a new dehumidified, and since 1995,
air-conditioned room with custom-built storage cabi-
nets (Mauchamp and Aldaz 1997). The collection data
were entered into a computerized database which now
forms the core of the CDRS Database of the Galápagos
Flora. In 1995, an agreement was signed with the Na-
tional Herbarium in Quito, Ecuador, (QCNE), providing
for identification assistance from mainland researchers
(especially for introduced species) and for the deposit of
duplicate specimens in Quito.  The present paper reports
activities since 1996.
THE COLLECTIONS
The botanical collections have increased greatly in
recent years, growing from 7,000 specimens in 1996
(Mauchamp and Aldaz 1997) to more than 14,000 in 2003,
a growth of nearly 1,000 specimens per year (Figure 1).
This near doubling of the collection in six years has neces-
sitated continued expansion of the herbarium facilities.
The collections currently represent approximately 85%
of vascular plant taxa known from the islands, 70% of
algal taxa, 40% of lichens, and a collection of bryophytes
which is not yet fully catalogued. The collections include
THE CHARLES DARWIN RESEARCH STATION HERBARIUM:
IMPROVEMENTS OF THE LAST SIX YEARS
By: Patricia Jaramillo and Alan Tye
(Archives, California Academy of Sciences). Marc Miller,
John Woram and G. M. Wellington made editorial com-
ments.
LITERATURE CITED
Kiladis, G. N. and H. F. Diaz. 1986. An analysis of the 1877-78
ENSO episode and comparison with 1982-83. Monthly
Weather Review 114: 1035-1047.
National Archives. 1878. Logbook of the Schooner Earnest,
October 30, 1877 to June 11, 1878, Record Group 23, Coast
and Geodetic Survey, Series: Ship’s Records. National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College
Park, Maryland.
National Archives. 1898. Navy Correspondence, Record Group
80, General Records of the Navy Department, General
Correspondence 1897-1915, Letters 6039(83)–6121(5), Box
No. 212, Letter 6075. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Quinn, W. H and V. T. Neal. 1995. The historical record of El
Niño events. In Climate Since A.D. 1500. R.S. Bradley and
P.D. Jones, eds. Routledge, New York, pp. 623-648.
Slevin, J. R. 1931. Log of the Schooner “Academy.” Occasional
Papers of the California Academy of Sciences, No. 17, 162
pp., 16 plates, 1 map.
Snell, H. and S. Rea. 2002. Appendix. Summary of meteorologi-
cal data for Santa Cruz Island from 1965 through 1998.
Source: http://www.darwinfoundation.org/articles/
n60001299app.html (accessed 29 August 2002).
Matthew J. James, Department of Geology, Sonoma State
University, Rohnert Park, California 94928 USA E-mail:
matt.james@sonoma.edu.
December 2003 NOTICIAS DE GALÁPAGOS 33
isotype specimens (specimens from the plant originally
used to describe the taxon) of three endemic taxa.
The principal collection is of pressed and dried speci-
mens mounted on standard herbarium sheets, but several
auxiliary collections are also maintained.  Large dried
specimens of fruit, wood, bark, roots, tubers, etc., are
curated separately because of their size and shape. These
are stored at present on open shelving until more suitable
storage cabinets can be obtained.
Most seeds that accompany standard specimens are
mounted in envelopes on the relevant specimen sheet, but
an auxiliary collection of additional or oversized mate-
rial is also maintained. These are mostly dry, in sealed
jars, or in plastic bags. A large addition to the seed and
fruit collection was made during 1999–2001 by Ana
Mireya Guerrero.
For a few plant groups (e.g. algae, succulents), as well
as for certain plant parts (e.g. soft fruit, flowers of
Orchidaceae, Asteraceae and Papilionaceae), wet preser-
vation is used. For these, Copenhagen Mixture, which is
70% ethanol, 29% water, and 1% glycerol (Bridson and
Forman 1998), is currently used. The glycerol helps main-
tain natural color and prevents complete drying should
evaporation occur from the specimen containers. Some
earlier collections were preserved in formalin but have
since been transferred to alcohol. Wet collections are kept
in wall-mounted cabinets separate from the dry collec-
tions.   The wet collections currently include about 260
specimens of which the great majority (240) are  algae.
A pollen collection was begun in 2001, using mostly
pollen taken from flowers on existing herbarium samples,
but with additional specimens prepared from supple-
mentary material collected in the field. The pollen
collection now includes specimens of 40 taxa represent-
ing some 20% of Galápagos endemic species. The
accumulation of more specimens, including pollen from
non-endemic natives and introduced species, will facili-
tate studies of floral history and pollination biology
(Figure 2).
A collection of representative photographs of plant
specimens is being accumulated and will be linked to the
database for assistance in identifications.
HERBARIUM MANAGEMENT
Regular management procedures are detailed below.
Climate Control
In tropical regions, the high temperatures and humid-
ity promote rapid growth of herbarium pests (Bridson
and Forman 1998). The herbarium has therefore been air-
conditioned and dehumidified since 1995, with some
sporadic, but unavoidable interruptions due to break-
down of the machinery. Temperature and humidity are
monitored to ensure that the temperature is maintained
below 24° and the humidity below 60% (normal ranges
are 20–22° and 50–55%).
Monitoring and Treatment of Pests
Collections are continuously monitored for pests, and
treatment for infestations is undertaken as needed. Seals
at key points restrict insect access. The entrance door is
protected by a sticky trap, and other openings (such as the
emergency door and air-conditioner mount) are sealed
with silicone. Pest control within the herbarium formerly
(1994–1999) involved quarterly fumigation with Gastion
(active ingredient aluminium phosphide, which releases
phosphine [PH3] gas), but this technique was discontin-
7200
8500
9500
11500
12000
13000
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Year
N
um
be
r 
of
 s
am
pl
es
Figure 1. Increase of specimen numbers at the CDRS Her-
barium.
Figure 2. Part of the pollen collection, comprising slide mounts
and electron micrographs.
34 NOTICIAS DE GALÁPAGOS No. 62
ued in 2000, due to the high toxicity of phosphine.  Pest
control at present involves freezing the specimens in
rotation every six months and spraying the room and
storage cabinets with pyrethrin insecticide every three
months, and at intervening periods as found necessary.
Sticky traps (Insect MonitorTM) are used to attract and
detect pests; all invertebrates trapped are identified and
assessed for risk to specimens (Figure 3). Traps are re-
placed every three months. This procedure permits the
identification of pests which favor particular types of
specimens, taxonomic groups of plants, or the mounting
materials themselves, e.g., paper, gum, etc.  (Bridson and
Forman 1998).
Decontamination
Before new dried specimens are added to the collec-
tions, they are decontaminated by freezing in a domestic
chest freezer for at least 48 hours. Larger specimens such
as wood samples require freezing for a longer period
which is minimally 4 days.  Similarly, all collections that
have been temporarily removed from the herbarium
room are frozen before being returned to the room.
Specimen Preparation
For most dried specimens, standard herbarium sheets
are prepared by gluing the specimen to the sheet. Mount-
ing procedures were considerably improved in1999, with
more frequent use of seed and fragment envelopes and
enhanced protection for delicate flowers. Certain speci-
mens or plant groups require special treatment.
Succulents, especially Cactaceae, are either dried whole
or with part of the internal flesh extracted through cuts.
Specimen labels are usually printed from the original
collector’s information, which is previously entered into
the CDRS Flora Database. Most of the routine curation
and preparation of specimens is carried out by Ecuador-
ian student volunteers gaining work experience.
For the pollen collection, microscope slide mounts are
prepared of both fresh and acetolysed pollen, whenever
possible. For fresh mounts, pollen is simply mounted in
glycerine containing methyl green in order to stain the
exine (external coat) of the grains.  For acetolysed mounts,
the acetolysis is carried out by boiling the pollen in a
mixture of sulphuric and acetic acids at 1:9 (Erdtman
1950, Reitsma 1959). The specimens are then fixed in ace-
tic acid, washed twice with distilled water, and
dehydrated in alcohol, grading through 50, 70, 96 and
100% solutions. They are then mounted in unstained
glycerine since the acetolysis itself colors the lignin of the
exine.  To prepare samples for scanning electron micro-
graphy, they are acetolysed, and after dehydration,
mounted on metal grids, allowed to dry, and coated with
gold by high-vacuum ion-sputtering. Electron micro-
graphs to date have been prepared at the University of
Málaga, Spain. The micrographs are kept together with
fragments of the sample used for preparation of the
mounts.
Database Maintenance
The CDRS Database of the Galápagos Flora includes
data for all herbarium specimens. It was redesigned with
additional data fields in 1997, and its design is being
continuously improved. The data accompanying each
specimen are entered into the database before the speci-
men is formally added to the collection, and specimen
labels are printed from the database.
 In addition to routine curation activities, the follow-
ing projects have been carried out since 1995.
Auxiliary Collections
Recent activities have included cataloguing of the al-
gae (1998, Lucy Buxton) and lichens (2000, Olivia Le Dee),
initiation of the pollen collection (2001, Patricia  Jaramillo),
and verifying the registration and curation of seeds and
wood samples.
Specimen Identification
Checking the identification of specimens, particularly
of difficult groups, is undertaken by staff as time and
specific expertise and interests permit.  Revision of all
endemic vascular taxa (Alan Tye) and all ferns and grasses
(Heinke Jäger and Simon Laegaard) has recently been
completed, although some difficult cases remain unre-
solved. Work in the near future will focus on introduced
species.
Figure 3. Invertebrate pest monitoring trap.
December 2003 NOTICIAS DE GALÁPAGOS 35
Herbarium Expansion
The herbarium is a single room, which was enlarged
twice during the last four years (1999 and 2001). Walls
were removed so that two small storage rooms were
incorporated into the main room. This has provided space
for two additional cabinets as well as an increase to the
preparation area and an area for the database and GIS
computers.
Training
Patricia Jaramillo received training in herbarium
management at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, UK, in
1999, and in pollen collection management at the Univer-
sity of Málaga, Spain, in 2001. This experience has enabled
us to improve our management standards significantly
as well as to establish new special collections.
Communication
As part of the new Charles Darwin Foundation web
site, the Herbarium established its own web page in 2000
(http://www.darwinfoundation.org/terrest/Botany/
herbar.html).
PROBLEMS AND THE FUTURE
A major problem for the herbarium has always been
funding. Current annual costs of maintenance of the col-
lections are approximately US $35,000, including the
curator’s salary, volunteer support, materials, storage
cabinets, and equipment replacement. Funds available
within the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) have never
been adequate for herbarium maintenance, which has
therefore always had to be funded in part from research
projects.  The herbarium is an essential tool for all botani-
cal research in the islands, and a current high priority for
the Charles Darwin Foundation is to secure stable funds
for the maintenance of such essential services. The lack of
dedicated and stable funding places the maintenance of
the collections at risk and subject to annual fluctuations
in Botany Department finances.   The failure of an air-
conditioner or the exhaustion of mounting materials at a
time when funds are otherwise committed can mean that
collections remain susceptible to intermittent deteriora-
tion and processing delays.  We envision a need for US
$35,000 per year for the foreseeable future to meet current
and future herbarium functions.
However, if secure funding can be found, the fu-
ture looks promising with botanical and related ecological
studies being better served by ever-growing collections
amassed by an active research department.   Plans are
being drawn for a new, larger specimen storage room
with better climate control and a larger, custom-designed
research area with a separate specimen preparation room.
Activities for the near future include linking the database
to a geographic information system, revising the list of
introduced species documented from Galápagos, and
completing the collections for missing taxa. Hopefully,
five years from now, we may be able to report on more
improvements and a flourishing herbarium that plays
an enhanced role in Galápagos research for resident and
visiting scientists alike.
Editor’s Note:  If you wish to receive information on
the needs of the herbarium or Botany Program or ways
to give funds, equipment, or expertise please contact the
CDF’s Institutional Development Area, Ms. Paola Diaz
(pdiaz@fcdarwin.org.ec) or any of the Friends of Galapagos
Organizations listed in the inside front cover of this edi-
tion of Noticias de Galapagos.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are grateful to André Mauchamp (AM) and Iván
Aldaz (IA) for rescuing and improving the CDRS her-
barium (1994–96 AM and 1994–98 IA), and to all the student
volunteers who have contributed to specimen curation
over the last five years. Sara Fain and Mats Wedin helped
prepare the herbarium web page. We thank the Royal
Botanic Garden, Kew, UK, and Baltazar Cabezudo and
Maria Mar Trigo of the University of Málaga, Spain, for
their contributions to training, pollen preparation, and
electron micro-photography, and to the UK Government’s
Darwin Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation and the
World Bank’s Global Environment Facility for financing
the training at Kew and Malaga respectively.
LITERATURE CITED
Bridson, D. and L. Forman. 1998. The Herbarium Handbook.
Third Edition. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London.
Erdtman, G. 1960.  The acetolysis method. Svensk. bot. Tidskr.
54: 561–564.
Mauchamp, A. and I. Aldaz. 1997. The CDRS Herbarium, an old
new research tool for Galápagos. Noticias de Galápagos 58:
27–28.
Reitsma, T.1959. Size modification of recent pollen grains
under different treatments.  Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 9: 175–
202.
Wiggins, I .L. and D. M. Porter. 1971. Flora of the Galápagos
Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford.
Patricia Jaramillo, Herbarium Curator, Charles Darwin
Research Station, Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador
E-mail: pattyj@fcdarwin.org.ec.   Alan Tye, Head of the
Botany Department and Herbarium Director, Charles
Darwin Research Station, Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos,
Ecuador E-mail: atye@fcdarwin.org.ec.


The Charles Darwin Research Station Herbarium : improvements of the last six years

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The Charles Darwin Research Station Herbarium : improvements of the last six years

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