Finding a fungarium partner
Photo by Stu PickellFind a Partner Fungarium or Herbarium
Fungal specimens that have been documented online and sent for sequencing should be stored in an institutional repository whenever possible. They are more valuable to science if future mycologists can examine the specimen from which the sequence was derived.
Such a repository is called a herbarium, or if it contains only fungi, a fungarium. Many fungaria/herbaria digitize their specimens and upload the data to a central website called MyCoPortal, where scientists look for specimens to study, or to better understand the distribution and seasonality of fungi.
Try to find a fungarium/herbarium near you, or near where you collected the specimens, because depositing your specimens locally facilitates regional studies.
Check the map of North American fungaria/herbaria below.
If you are unable to find a regional partner collection for your project, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) collection has generously agreed to take deposits of FunDiS specimens.
Or email fungarium@fundis.org for assistance.
Below is a map and list of North American fungaria that have taken specimens from FunDiS projects or filled out a form indicating willingness to do so. Contact information provided to FunDiS is shown by clicking the appropriate map pin on the map. Updated information on all North American herbaria can be found at the MyCoPortal collections index.
Index Herbariorum is an online guide to the world’s herbaria.
At this website you can enter the code (as in parens below) to find more information about the collection,
such as the location, and the email address of the contact person.
Acadia University, E. C. Smith Herbarium (ACAD)
Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT)
Brown University Herbarium (BRU)
Carnegie Museum of Natural History Herbarium (CM)
College of the Atlantic, Acadia National Park Herbarium (HCOA)
Denver Botanic Gardens, Sam Mitchel Herbarium of Fungi (DBG)
Duke University, Herbarium Fungal Collection (DUKE)
Harvard University, Farlow Herbarium (FH)
Iowa State University, Ada Hayden Herbarium (ISC)
New York Botanical Garden (NY)
New York State Museum (NYS)
Purdue University, Arthur Fungarium (PUR)
Purdue University, Kriebel Herbarium (PUL)
Royal Ontario Museum Fungarium (TRTC)
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (SBBG)
United States National Fungus Collections (BPI)
University of California, Berkeley, University Herbarium (UC)
University of California, Irvine Herbarium (IRVC)
University of Florida Herbarium (FLAS)
University of Illinois, Illinois Natural History Survey Fungarium (ILLS)
University of Montana Herbarium (MONTU)
University of South Florida Herbarium (USF)
University of Washington Herbarium (WTU)
University of Wisconsin-Madison Herbarium (WIS)
Virginia Tech University, Massey Herbarium (VPI)
Contact a Fungarium
Reach out to a local fungarium/herbarium soon after you start your project, to establish a relationship. This relationship will be one of the most important parts of your project going forward. Email is typically a good way to begin the interaction. An initial message should outline who you are, what your project is focused on (taxa and region), and what your project goals are. Here's a sample message:
Hello,
My name is _________ and I have started a project with the Fungal Diversity Survey (FunDiS.org). Our project is called _______ and is focused on [insert taxa] of [insert target region]. Our project is currently looking to establish a relationship with a fungarium to store our dried fungal collections. We currently plan on collecting [insert number] specimens per year as a part of this project. Our specimens will be associated with all the metadata required by the FunDiS, and will arrive at your location organized to the standards required by your institution. Would your institution be willing to consider accepting our specimens? May we begin a discussion on the requirements your institution has for accepting new specimens?
Thank you for your consideration,
[name]
Please remember that a fungarium is not required to accept your specimens as a part of this project. They can discontinue the acceptance of new specimens at any time or they can reject a particular specimen. Thus it is vitally important that you thoroughly understand the requirements that are specific to your collection partner, as these vary from institution to institution. It will be incumbent upon you to maintain a good working relationship with this partner.
Fungaria/Herbaria are almost never adequately funded, and reluctance to accept your specimens may relate to limited funding for supplies to store your collection, and labor to process and incorporate them. If you plan on collecting and sequencing large numbers of specimens, finding a partner fungarium may be more difficult because of these related costs.
General Considerations
Legal and ethical considerations
You may be required to submit copies of collecting permits with your specimens. Many managed natural areas, such as state and national parks or nature reserves, require permits for collecting and may place restrictions on the quantity of biological material and the species that can be collected.
Most fungaria will not accept collections that require a permit (e.g., collections from within a National Park) without a copy of that permit; some permits put conditions or how specimens are deposited and stored, information your partner fungarium must also know. Many fungaria will also not accept specimens of species known to be highly endangered, to discourage collection that might have a negative impact on those species.
Copies of applicable permits should accompany all specimens whose collection was made under those permits. Lack of permits for collections that should have had them may keep you from being able to deposit your collections.
Specimen quality
Most fungaria do not charge to deposit specimens or to study those specimens. Since they tend to bear the financial and curatorial responsibility for the specimens they house, they generally only want to add high quality material — this means material for which there is maximum potential for future scientific value.
A high-quality specimen is one that is prepared according to best practices for the type of specimen represented, has an accurate and complete label, and is as complete as possible, meaning that the biological material exhibits all the features that are used to identify it and distinguish it from other species.
Inclusion of good “metadata,” such as good quality images of the living specimen and field notes on ephemeral features increases the scientific value of the collection. Including your field data slip and a printed voucher slip adds to this value.
Be sure to include sufficient biological material so that the fungus can be sufficiently characterized in order to identify it or confirm its identity. The exact amount of material required varies depending on type of fungus but ideally contains multiple mature sporocarps and immature ones, or buttons, as well.
For a large, durable polypore, a segment of the fruiting structure is sufficient.
For a tiny and delicate fungi such as a Mycenas, multiple fruiting bodies are needed.
However, separately wrap and identify the specimen sequenced and put it in the bag with the others. That way, if the specimens weren’t identical, as can be the case with Hygocybes, there is a way to identify the specific specimen that was sequenced.
Mailing your Package
Download a spreadsheet
Most collections will require a particular structure to the collection data. Send your partner fungarium/herbarium a copy of your spreadsheet before finalizing it to be sure that you are including the information they require, and formatting according to their standards.
Spreadsheet
Instructions for exporting CSV spreadsheets from iNaturalist and Mushroom Observer are described at Submit Tissue for Sequencing
Email the file to your fungarium contact and also include a hard copy with your specimens if requested.
Specimen Name
Some fungaria may have restrictions on accepting undetermined or partially determined material; make sure you discuss this in advance with your partner collection if your deposit includes specimens not identified to genus.
Typically, fungaria require that specimens be identified to genus or species, with authors of the names (provided automatically by iNaturalist and Mushroom Observer), and the name of the person who identified the collection.
Labels
If you used FunDiS field data slips, include your original slip with each specimen.
You can also include printed labels. Instructions for printing labels from iNat or MO are at Dry Your Specimens.
Some fungaria may provide you with numbered adhesive labels in advance..
Special
Some fungaria will accept a spore print enclosed with your voucher slip and label. Ask about their preference.
Some fungaria have requirements about including desiccant with your collections.
Shipping
When you are ready to ship your voucher collections, email your fungarium contact and attach the CSV spreadsheet. Then mail the specimens:
Your box should include:
Dried specimens stored in resealable bags, with a copy of the field data slip and printed voucher label in the bag. Consult with your fungarium on the method they prefer.
Specimens placed in a good quality box with sufficient padding so the specimens will not shift in transport.
A note including your name, return address, contact info (email and phone), the taxonomic group (at minimum, “Fungi”), the number of specimens in the box, and any information specifically requested by your partner fungarium. This doesn’t need to be formal, but should be printed for clarity.
A printed copy of the CSV spreadsheet described above if your fungarium also requires it.
Shipping Library Rate
A shipment to a herbarium/fungarium should qualify for the highly discounted Library Rate when shipping via US Postal Service. The rules can be found in Section 2.2 here. They allow individuals to use the special rate to ship to a library or herbarium/fungarium. But many mail clerks are unfamiliar with the regulation.
Print and tape this verbiage to on the outside of your package “LIBRARY MAIL: Postal regulations (DMM 173 5.0 / 273 4.0) specify that museums, including herbaria, may ship specimens by Library Mail. This package contains dried herbarium specimens and may be opened for postal inspection if necessary.”
You are allowed to enclose the spreadsheet associated with specimens (a “catalogue of materials”) may be included under USPS rules. Personal correspondence belongs in a First Class envelope on the outside of the package.
Resources
Making Scientific Vouchers of North American Macrofungi
by Barbara Thiers, Nathan Wilson and Roy Halling.
https://namyco.org/making_scientific_vouchers_of.phpHelpful links on MyCoPortal
https://mycoportal.org/portal/misc/links.php
