The State Herbarium of South Australia is the key centre for knowledge and information on South Australia’s native and naturalised plants, algae, fungi and lichens.
We are internationally recognised for our research and advisory role in plant systematics.
Our research staff and associates bring scientific methods, including cutting-edge technologies in molecular biology and microscopy, to help research a wide range of botanical areas (e.g. genes, populations, species, higher taxa, communities and ecosystems).
The information that we gather is not just stored. Research results and statewide knowledge are shared in publications such as the Flora of South Australia, Census of South Australian Vascular Plants and the Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia.
We participate in major national projects such as the iconic Flora of Australia and world-leading Australia’s Virtual Herbarium (AVH). We are also an essential resource for carrying out flora surveys, vegetation mapping programs, native vegetation conservation, weed identification, and community management and rehabilitation programs.
The State Herbarium’s knowledge and information also contributes to the conservation of rare plants. We believe that action to save rare plant species faced with extinction needs to be based on good scientific knowledge. Our improved communication of distributional and taxonomic data is enhancing recovery plans and on-ground actions in the effort of conservation of these rare plants.
Our knowledge of the species of plants, algae and fungi - which is crucial in today’s conservation biology, environmental management, the design of natural reserves and informed decision making for South Australia and any governmental agency - continues to increase, and research shows that new species continue to be discovered.
We report through the Chief Botanist to the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, which is responsible for the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium Act 1978. According to the Act, the roles of the Board in relation to the State Herbarium include to:
• Establish and maintain a herbarium and, subject to this Act, retain original specimens included in the herbarium
• Accumulate and care for specimens (whether living or preserved), objects and things of interest in the fields of botany, horticulture, biology, conservation of the natural environment or history
• Accumulate and classify data in regard to any such matters
• Carry out or promote research into matters of interest in the fields of botany, horticulture, biology, conservation of the natural environment or history
• Disseminate information of interest in the fields of botany, horticulture, biology, conservation of the natural environment or history
• Undertake commercial exploitation of knowledge acquired by the Board in the course of conducting research
• Provide consultant services
• Perform any other functions of scientific, educational or historical significance that may be assigned to the Board by Regulation.
Keep up to date with what our team are up to at the State Herbariums blog Know Our Plants.
In 1954 the State Herbarium of South Australia was founded as part of Adelaide Botanic Garden. The collections reflect the history of activity by the state’s resident botanists since the first flora of the state was produced by Richard Schomburgk (1811-1891) in 1875.
The State Herbarium’s foundation collections include the personal collections of Ralph Tate (1840-1901), John McConnell Black (1855-1951) assembled in the University of Adelaide Herbarium (ADU), Sir John Burton Cleland (1878-1971) via the South Australian Museum, the moss herbarium of Professor David Catcheside (1907-1994), the collections of the Field Naturalists’ Society of South Australia and many others.
An early focus by staff and members of the public was on botanical surveys of South Australia. Collections were gifted from the Waite Agricultural Research Institute (ADW), the University of Adelaide (H.B.S. Womersley’s algal herbarium, now the AD-A series), the Department of Agriculture (ADA) and the SA Pastoral Board.
Today the term herbarium has been extended to encompass an institution that not only holds botanical collections but also employs taxonomic botanists who use these collections to study and document the regional, national and global floras.
The State Herbarium was first established within the old administration building of the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide. In 1966, a new custom-built building opened beside its original home. Later expansion of collections and staff were accommodated with two building extensions. This old site then made way for the National Wine Centre in 2000.
The State Herbarium and the Library of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium are now housed in the old Tram Barn A. The Herbarium has closer ties with wider scientific and conservation programs in South Australia and nation-wide, especially the Department for Environment and Water, The University of Adelaide and Flinders University.
Our staff, Honourary Research Associates and Research Affiliates have expertise in a wide range of areas, from taxonomy of vascular plants, algae, fungi and lichens, nomenclature, botanical history and traditional morphological methodologies to molecular genetics and phylogenetic research techniques.
Volunteers contribute in many ways to the building and curation of the collections of the State Herbarium, as well as to our various research programs. Their invaluable contribution enables us to continue to house a world class collection of more than one million specimens.
We are always happy to hear from interested people who want to help. Volunteers from all backgrounds, with or without botanical training, can help with a variety of tasks. Some can be learnt quickly with no previous experience; others require some botanical training or knowledge.
Given the permanent scientific - and in many cases, irreplaceable - nature of the herbarium collection, all tasks require particular care and attention to detail. The work is of a curatorial/technical nature. There is some scope to assist with research projects or even engage in approved, personal research projects under guidance, with approval of the Chief Botanist. The main requirements for volunteers are self-motivation and general interest in plants and/or the environment.
Two different types of volunteer role exist at the State Herbarium:
1. State Herbarium Volunteers - people assisting with the general tasks of the Herbarium
2. Honorary Research Associates - people working on approved, personal research projects under the auspices of the State Herbarium. Volunteers in this group are usually highly skilled such as retired professional botanists, and the position is an official appointment made by the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium.
To register your interest in volunteering with us, please submit an expression of interest and book to attend an information session here Volunteer opportunities
The State Herbarium operates both nationally through its core and foundational membership of the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (CHAH) and internationally with its long tradition of contribution to the global research and documentation in plant systematics, evolution and biogeography of plants, algae and fungi.
The State Herbarium is one of eight Australian government herbaria that forms part of the global network of herbaria with the common aim of advancing knowledge of regional and global biodiversity.
The State Herbarium was one of the partners in Australia’s Virtual Herbarium project to capture data associated with the millions of herbarium records held in Australia’s principal herbaria. Over 700,000 records from the State Herbarium’s collections are now databased and accessible online.
In collaboration with other herbaria, museums, universities and research institutions, the State Herbarium participates in national and international initiatives such as the Consortium for Barcoding of Life, Census of Coral Reefs Life, the Environment Institute, the Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity and the Research Institute for Climate Change and Sustainability.
Several policies cover the principles and criteria in relation to the collections held by the State Herbarium, as well as the conditions relating to the loan of such collections to external researchers.
The policies that cover the State Herbarium include:
• State Herbarium of South Australia Collection Policy 2008
• Cultural Collection Policy 2008 - Botanic Gardens of Adelaide and State Herbarium
• State Herbarium of South Australia Mandatory Loan Conditions
