Tessera

UTK Herbarium - TENN

@utkherbarium.bsky.social

Biodiversity collection of over 710,000 plants & fungi at University of Tennessee - Knoxville in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department. Specimens from around the world with strengths in Tennessee & southern Appalachians! linktr.ee/utkherbarium

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UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 4d ago

What do art students see when they visit a herbarium? We loved welcoming Professor Emily Bivens and her graduate art students to TENN! Their curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm brought fresh perspectives and wonderful conversations about nature, art, science, and history. #HerbariumTour

Graduate art students gather around a large worktable at the UTK Herbarium, examining historical botanical books, preserved specimens, and archival materials. A visitor in a tan jacket leans forward to examine an open book while a herbarium guide discusses the display.

During a behind-the-scenes tour of the UTK Herbarium, a guide points toward specimens stored in an open collection cabinet. Graduate art students gather around, looking closely at the shelves of preserved botanical material.

Five graduate art students, their instructor Emily Bivens, and a UT Herbarium guide pose together behind a table displaying pressed botanical specimens and small specimen boxes. Tall herbarium cabinets fill the background.

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 5d ago

How many plants can you collect in a single day? On October 8, 2011, botanists Frosty Levy and Elaine Walker collected 58 plant specimens in Northeast Tennessee, many from Rocky Fork in Unicoi County. Years later, those specimens preserve a botanical snapshot of one autumn day! #Herbarium

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 7d ago

New bryophytes are finding their permanent homes at TENN! Careful filing matters. In a collection this large, a specimen placed in the wrong folder could remain lost for years. Thanks to our techs for keeping the collection organized and accessible! #Herbariumlife #Bryophytes

A smiling herbarium technician stands on a red rolling step stool between rows of tall metal herbarium cabinets, holding a stack of bryophyte specimen sheets in a large folders and giving a thumbs-up.

An herbarium technician carefully staples several bryophyte specimen packets onto a large herbarium sheet at a worktable. Multiple labeled and barcoded packets are arranged together on the sheet.

An herbarium technician stands on a red rolling step stool in a long aisle of metal herbarium cabinets, returning a folder of bryophyte specimens to its proper place in an open cabinet.

Jessica Budke 🌱🥼🔬@mossplants.bsky.social · last wk.

Just listened to this great piece on @scifri.bsky.social about the importance of collections. www.sciencefriday.com/segments/are... Consider making a donation at any level to support your local natural history collection. Support @utkherbarium.bsky.social here herbarium.utk.edu/give/

Are natural history museums in trouble?

The country’s oldest natural history museum, in Philadelphia, has closed its doors to visitors. Will other museums follow?

sciencefriday.com

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2w ago

Have you ever pressed a plant? We had a great afternoon with the UT Plant Sciences Club at UT Gardens! Students chose some of their favorite flowers, learned how to collect and press botanical specimens, and filled our presses with plants to take home once they're dry. #PlantCollectionWorkshop

A student stands beside a table under the pavilion at UT Gardens, holding up a purple-flowered plant. A closed wooden plant press and several other colorful freshly collected flowers are spread across the table.

A student holds up a purple-flowered aster she is about to place between sheets of newspaper in a plant press. Behind her, other students work together pressing flowers in a second plant press under the pavilion at UT Gardens.

A student crouches over a plant press under the pavilion at UT Gardens, writing her name on the newspaper beside a freshly collected pink flower. Several other students stand nearby, and a closed wooden plant press sits in the foreground.

Members of the UT Plant Sciences Club pose together under the pavilion at UT Gardens. Two students in front hold wooden plant presses filled with the specimens collected during the workshop.

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2w ago

76 years ago today, Robert A. Heilman explored a quiet Pennsylvania lake and the nearby marshy woodland. He left with an Appalachian quillwort and two grape ferns. Today, TENN preserves all three, which gives us a glimpse into his day in 1950. #Herbarium #Pteridophytes

Herbarium specimen of Isoetes engelmannii, Appalachian quillwort, collected by Robert A. Heilman at Conewago Lake, Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania, on September 30, 1950. The grasslike plant has numerous long, narrow leaves arising from a small rooted base. Heilman’s handwritten label notes, “Calm, quiet lake. In the shallows along the breast of the dam.” Green banners added to the image read “On this day 76 years ago...” and “September 30, 1950.

Herbarium specimen collected by Robert A. Heilman at Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania, on September 30, 1950. The grape fern, originally labeled Botrychium obliquum and now known as Sceptridium dissectum, has a long slender stalk, a divided leafy blade, and an upright fertile portion bearing clusters of sporangia. The handwritten label describes its habitat as “Marshy, open woodlan

Herbarium specimen collected by Robert A. Heilman at Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania, on September 30, 1950. The small grape fern, originally labeled Botrychium obliquum and now known as Sceptridium dissectum, has a single upright stem bearing divided green leaves. The handwritten label describes its habitat as “Marshy, open woodland.”

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2w ago

Yellow moosedung moss from the Russian taiga produces a dung-like odor that attracts flies to carry its spores from one pile of dung to the next. An ingenious solution for life on a scattered, temporary substrate. #DungMoss #Bryology #HerbariumSpecimen

Herbarium specimen of yellow moosedung moss, Splachnum luteum. Dozens of very slender reddish-brown sporophyte stalks rise above the moss, many topped by pale yellow, umbrella-shaped structures. The specimen is mounted on a small sheet against a brown herbarium packet. Text reads “Yellow moosedung moss” and “Splachnum luteum.

Close-up of the upper portion of the Splachnum luteum specimen, showing numerous long, thin reddish-brown sporophyte stalks. Several are topped by broad, pale yellow, umbrella-shaped hypophyses. Two black arrows point to examples beneath the word “Hypophyses."

Close-up of the specimen’s original herbarium label from the Botanical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. The label contains the scientific name Splachnum luteum and several lines of handwritten Russian cursive that have not been fully deciphered. The year 1983 and collection number 18/4 are visible. Text below asks, “Can you read this dung moss label?”

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 3w ago

Our specimens are for research, not lunch! Freezing, glue traps, environmental monitoring, inspections, and regular pest control help us protect TENN's collection from some very hungry visitors #HerbariumPestControl

Graphic showing the interior of the UT Herbarium surrounded by examples of collection pests and threats, including a cigarette beetle, casemaking clothes moth, carpet beetle, booklice, silverfish, American cockroach, house mouse, and mold or fungal growth. Each pest is labeled

Humorous graphic showing a large cockroach appearing to flee from a towering pile of blue glue traps used for pest monitoring in the herbarium. An exclamation mark above the cockroach emphasizes its alarm

Photos showing equipment used to help protect the UT Herbarium collection from pests. Two images show TENN's upright and chest freezers, where incoming material can be frozen for one week at –40°F. A third image shows an environmental monitor used to track temperature and relative humidity in the collection.

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 3w ago

We recently welcomed the Native Plant Rescue Squad for a special tour! We explored our collections, algae, library, and cabinet of curiosities while sharing how the herbarium can serve as a community resource for plant identification and conservation work. #PlantConservation #HerbariumTour

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 3w ago

Ever spotted poison ivy and thought, “I should pick that”? TENN has 93 specimens collected by botanists who did! Urushiol can persist long after a plant is dried, and dermatitis has even been reported from herbarium specimens more than 100 years old. #PoisonIvy #Herbarium

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 4w ago

The UTK Herbarium is part of something much bigger! Students in Natural History Collections Research are exploring UT’s collections, from preserved plants to fish and animal bones, all valuable resources for research, teaching, and discovery. #NaturalHistory #Biodiversity

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 4w ago

This 1947 specimen book quite literally fell out of a ceiling during renovations. Created by Charles Niles for a botany class nearly 80 years ago, its pages preserve pressed plants collected across East Tennessee and an extraordinary piece of botanical history. #Herbarium #Botany

Front cover of Charles Niles’s 1947 specimen book. The heavily worn brown cover has an elaborate embossed geometric and floral design, with scuffs, scratches, discoloration, and worn edges from age.

A yellowed interior page of the specimen book. A small handwritten card taped near the center reads “Herbarium, Botany 204F, 1947, Charles Niles.” In the lower right corner, a handwritten B+ is accompanied by initials and the date May 12, 1947. The page and old tape show considerable age and discoloration.

A small, faded pressed specimen of dwarf iris, Iris cristata, mounted vertically on an aged paper page with strips of old amber-colored tape. The handwritten label identifies the specimen as collected by Charles Niles along the Little Tennessee River in Vonore, Tennessee, on April 22, 1947.

A large pressed specimen of Virginia bluebells, Mertensia virginica, filling much of an aged paper page. The darkened plant has broad leaves, a flowering stem, exposed roots, and numerous strips of old amber-colored tape. A handwritten label records Charles Niles as the collector at Dicks Creek in Walland, Tennessee, on April 17, 1947.

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 4w ago

Explore Tennessee’s flora from anywhere! The UT Herbarium website includes thousands of plant photographs, county-level distribution maps, native status, conservation status, and more. Whether you’re identifying a plant, researching a species, or simply curious about what grows around you.

Promotional graphic for the UT Herbarium website. Evergreen branches and cones frame a misty mountain landscape. A screenshot of the UT Herbarium Vascular Plant Collection website appears in the center. Text reads, “Explore Tennessee’s flora from anywhere” and “Explore plant photographs, distribution maps, native status, and more!” The website address is herbarium.utk.edu.

Graphic demonstrating how the UT Herbarium website can help compare similar species. Four photographs show different morning glories: Ipomoea coccinea, with a small red-orange tubular flower; I. lacunosa, with a small white flower; I. pandurata, with a large white flower and deep pink-purple throat; and I. hederacea, with a blue-purple flower and long, hairy sepals. Text reads, “Know the genus, but not the species? Compare photographs of similar species and look for the features that set them apart.” Website: herbarium.utk.edu.

Graphic showing information available through the UT Herbarium website for four morning glory species: Ipomoea coccinea, I. lacunosa, I. pandurata, and I. hederacea. Each species is shown with a flower photograph, common name, wetland indicator status, Tennessee native or introduced status, and a Tennessee county distribution map. Orange counties on the maps indicate documented herbarium occurrences. Text highlights native status, wetland indicator status, synonyms, and distribution across Tennessee. Website: herbarium.utk.edu.

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · last mo.

What if your classroom this winter was a tropical forest in Panama? Join Dr. Jacob Suissa for EEB 461: Tropical Plant Biodiversity, a field-based Winter Mini Term course, Jan. 4–18, 2027. Apply by Oct. 2. Scholarships available! #Botany #FieldBotany #Panama

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · last mo.

When A. R. Shields and A. J. Sharp collected Trichomanes petersii near Calderwood Lake in 1939, they documented more than the plant. Tucked inside the specimen is a hand-drawn map larger than the specimen itself—preserving valuable details about where it was collected!

1939 Trichomanes petersii herbarium specimen collected by A. R. Shields and A. J. Sharp in Blount County, Tennessee. The preserved specimen is held in a paper packet secured by metal washers. Text reads, “This 1939 Trichomanes petersii specimen appears fairly normal…”

The 1939 Trichomanes petersii herbarium specimen displayed beside the much larger hand-drawn map that was stored with it. Text reads, “Until you see a hand-drawn map, bigger than the specimen itself, is included!”

Hand-drawn map included with the Trichomanes petersii specimen, showing Calderwood Lake, the Tennessee–North Carolina boundary, surrounding counties, roads, waterways, and the collection area marked with a red X. Text explains that maps were sometimes included to document where specimens were collected.

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · last mo.

How far can a fungus range? With support from the Breedlove-Dennis Fund, Chance Noffsinger traveled to Maine to study Russula in spruce-fir forests. Of the 7 species he found, 5 also occurred in the Southeast, revealing just how widely some of these fungi are distributed. 🌲 #Mycology #Fungi

Several fruiting bodies of Russula cf. fragilis growing among moss, leaf litter, and other forest-floor vegetation. The mushrooms have pale stems and caps showing reddish, purple, and brown tones.

View across the water in Acadia National Park, Maine, with a conifer growing on a rocky outcrop at the left and forested shoreline in the distance. The photograph shows the coastal setting of the spruce-fir habitat where Russula were collected

Field assistant Brooke Talley consults a map while standing in a wooded area of Acadia National Park in Maine during fieldwork to collect Russula mushrooms in spruce-fir habitats.

Four fruiting bodies of Russula firmula growing on the forest floor among mosses and leaf litter. The mushrooms have pale stems and dark wine-red to reddish-brown caps.

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · last mo.

Ever notice the barcode on an herbarium specimen? It represents the specimen’s catalog number and helps us track specimens, manage data and research loans, and connect physical specimens with their digital records.

Collage of UTK Herbarium specimen barcode labels with the text, “Why do specimens have barcodes?” The labels show TENN catalog numbers represented by black barcodes.

.UTK Herbarium vascular plant specimen sheet with its barcode, TENN-V-0000100, enlarged beside it. Text explains that barcodes are used to track specimens deposited at the Herbarium and link them to online records.

UTK Herbarium bryophyte specimen with barcode TENN-B-0142961 and examples of TENN catalog-number prefixes. The graphic explains that letters distinguish collections: V for vascular plants, B for bryophytes, A for algae, F for fungi, and L for lichens.

Jessica Budke 🌱🥼🔬@mossplants.bsky.social · last mo.

Did you miss out on ordering a shirt before the conference? Support the American Bryological & Lichenological Society student travel awards by purchasing your very own ABLS BOTANY 2026 @botsocamerica.bsky.social t-shirt featuring a rare southwestern moss and lichen species.

Support 2026 ABLS Botany T-shirts for student travel awards.

Shirt features rare southwestern moss and lichen species. Made from 100% recycled fabric (60% recycled cotton/40% post-consumer recycled polyester), the Re-Tee is crafted from rescued materials, ensur...

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UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · last mo.

Join us for Specimens & Scones on September 15th! Go behind the scenes at the UTK Herbarium and discover how 700,000+ specimens are preserved, organized, and used for research, plus some of the fascinating specimens hidden in the collection! Scones & treats included! #HerbariumTour

Promotional graphic for the UTK Herbarium’s Specimens & Scones events, decorated with pressed botanical specimens on a cream background. The graphic reads “The UTK Herbarium -Specimens & Scones” and advertises behind-the-scenes Herbarium tours on Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, November 11, from 3–5 PM. Location: 1818 Andy Holt Avenue, first floor of Temple Hall.

View down a long aisle inside the UTK Herbarium, lined on both sides with tall, wood-grain mobile storage cabinets with black crank handles. Text reads: “What’s inside the UTK Herbarium? Come see for yourself. 700,000+ specimens. Countless stories.”

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Natural history collections may be more important than ever! Students in UTK’s Natural History Collections Research course visited the TENN Herbarium to explore how specimens support modern research and then learned how to create a lasting scientific resource by mounting specimens themselves.

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

In 1934, a fire destroyed L.R. Hesler’s fungal collection, research notes & manuscripts. He rebuilt what was lost and went on to author 11 books and 100+ papers. Today, thousands of his specimens remain at TENN—and UTK’s Hesler Biology Building bears his name. #UTKHerbarium #Mycology

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Algae are photosynthetic organisms ranging from microscopic forms to large seaweeds. Many specimens are floated onto archival paper, arranged, and dried for preservation. Explore them in the Algae portal: macroalgae.org/portal/index...

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Did you know dung beetles can help plant seeds? With support from Breedlove-Dennis, Nathan Duerr tested how warming affects this role. In plots warmed by ~2°C, rainbow scarabs buried food caches deeper, which potentially leaves fewer seeds at depths favorable for emergence. #Breedlove-Dennis

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

UTK EEB had plenty to celebrate at Botany 2026! Dr. Joe Williams, Ainun Nadhifah, Millie Mancini & Isabel Hildesheim received conference honors ranging from the BSA Distinguished Fellow and Young Botanist awards to best bryology presentation & travel awards. Congrats to these UTK botanists!

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The collection may have been here all summer, but it just isn’t the same without our Vol family! We’re excited to welcome students, staff, faculty, researchers, and our curatorial technicians back to the UTK Herbarium. Here’s to a fantastic Fall semester! #UTKHerbarium #GoVols

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

What do you do with a pinecone? You certainly can’t press it flat! Some plant structures are preserved in 3D to retain features lost through pressing. At TENN, these are linked to pressed specimens and stored in our Seeds & Cones Collection. #NaturalHistoryCollections

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Tennessee’s cedar glades are unique biodiversity hotspots, yet their pollinators remain understudied. With support from the Breedlove-Dennis Fund, Sam Wilhelm helped document 165 insect species and counting, including rare bees and new records for Tennessee! #TNCedarGlades #Pollinators #Botany

Jessica Budke 🌱🥼🔬@mossplants.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Looking for a new job? Want to work with a fun & engaged team of biologists studying plants and animals? Join the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department as an Administrative Associate at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville! Please spread the word.

Administrative Associate: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - UTK

This position exists to assist the Business Manager & Department Head in all operations related to smooth operation of the front office and reception, and serves numerous critical roles related to und...

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UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The UTK Herbarium website is temporarily unavailable due to a university-wide issue. UT-affiliated users can still access it off campus using the university VPN. Thank you for your patience while the issue is resolved!

UTK Herbarium - TENN @utkherbarium.bsky.social · 2mo ago

With support from the Breedlove-Dennis Award, UTK graduate student Sydney Baldwin is studying Clarkia gracilis to uncover how soil nutrients and pollinators influence pollen quality. #Botany #Pollination