The University of Arizona Herbarium is the oldest herbarium in the state, with rich traditions and high levels of activity in research, education, service, and outreach. Established in 1890 with the initiation of the University, the museum now holds nearly 450,000 plant specimens. A third of the accessions document the estimated 4,000 plant species of Arizona, a topographically diverse state with biomes ranging from low desert to alpine meadows. Another third is from Mexico, especially the northern Sierra Madre, Sonoran Desert, and other regional biomes. The rest are worldwide collections reflecting 130 years of research and specimen exchange.
Our services include identifying plants toxic to livestock, pets, or humans, new plants in residential yards, weeds in agricultural settings, or any plant of interest that is native or naturalized; working with our network of herbaria to arrange for loans of material to serve the campus and worldwide research communities; accepting responsibility for thousands of research voucher specimens per year; and educating students and the public about plant biodiversity and why it matters.