Specimen management of the genus Lygodium (Pteridophytes) in the biota collection room, Universitas Indonesia (ruang koleksi biota UI/RKB UI), Depok

Abstract

Herbarium specimens play an extra role nowadays. Aside from its traditional taxonomical function, they are also an important data source for ecology, ethnobotany, mapping, and biogeography studies. In modern herbarium management, the specimens have been made more accessible to society through the digitizing process so that all specimens act as learning media. The University of Indonesia collection room or Ruang Koleksi Biota Universitas Indonesia (RKB UI) harbor spirit collections, carpology, and dried herbarium specimens collected from various student activities in botanical studies. In this study, Lygodium collection in RKB UI is revitalized. This study aims to revitalize all specimens with three steps of workflows, (1) Re-examining all taxonomical properties (taxonomic validation), (2) repairing herbarium sheets, and (3) digitizing all specimens (documentation and databasing). All 86 specimens recorded as Lygodium flexuosum, Lygodium scandens, Lygodium circinnatum, Lygodium microphyllum, Lygodium sp., and unidentified specimens were successfully reidentified into 3 species Lygodium flexuosum (L) Sw., Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R.Br., Lygodium circinnatum (Burm. F) Sw. Validation resulted in the moving of 80 specimens formerly placed in Schizaeaceae into Lygodiaceae, while 6 remaining specimens did not receive any validation treatment. All but one specimen has been improved into a representative specimen (one specimen already in good condition). Digitizing was done by documenting each photographed specimen, recording all taxonomical data in a worksheet, and storing both documents as a database on the RKB UI website.