Seed Plants
Flowering plants and gymnosperms comprise this grouping. The herbarium holds approximately 2.5 million accessioned specimens with over 40,000 types ranking it fifth in the nation.
Representation is worldwide but its strength lies in the Neotropics. This is credited to the many floristic projects and collection-oriented research programs that have been an integral part of the department since its inception. Especially rich are holdings in the neotropical families Rubiaceae, Asteraceae, Palmae, Piperaceae, and Solanaceae. The Central American material is overall one of the world's finest single collections with special strengths in Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica. The South American collections are important with special strengths in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. A good representation in North American taxa is found, especially for Missouri and Illinois. In addition the Field Museum curates an extensive collection of approximately 2000 dried fruits, large seeds, bark and other plant parts that generally are not accommodated on herbarium specimens. The gymnosperm collection consists of approximately 12,000 collections, 1000 cones and 41 types. There is good representation of Gnetaceae, Ephedraceae, Cycadaceae, and Pinaceae with the bulk of the Pinaceae from the United States and Mexico.
Policies
Some items in the Field Museum collections are available to loan for exhibition, research, or education in support of our mission: fighting climate change, preserving biodiversity, celebrating cultures, and championing science.
