What is a Herbarium?

Herbaria are museums which house pressed, mounted and labeled plant specimens. These specimens and their labels provide knowledge of plant species, plant variation, plant names, ethnobotanical information, genetic information and plant locations. Herbaria are utilized in teaching and research. While they may be very large, housing millions of specimens from around the world, local herbaria play very important roles in their communities.

How Can The Cochise County Herbarium Help You?

The sky islands and San Pedro River contribute to the unique habitats found in Cochise County. The CCH records and is a repository for plant species from these areas, reflecting the variation and diversity present in Cochise County and surrounding areas. It is a place where the general public, as well as professionals, can find information specific to the area regarding:

• Plant Identification
• Habitat
• Phenology
• Range
• Ethnobotanical Information
• Plant Resources

Those who may find the CCH a valuable resource include:

• Research botanists who use herbariums to conduct research on plants, discover and describe new species, inventory plants in specific areas and document species that belong to particular groups (eg. cacti, ocotillo, etc.)
  
  
• Students who may use the herbarium for class projects and research related to plants.
  
  
• Public Agencies (Park Service, BLM, County Ext. offices and the State of Arizona) use herbariums to identify and inventory plants for management purposes and to monitor new introductions, some of which may be invasive species.
  
  
• Forensic Botanists & Law Enforcement agencies may use the herbarium to identify plants that are involved in legal cases (i.e. endangered species, plants that are the source of drugs and plants that help identify the scene of a crime.)
  
  
• Veterinarians often use herbariums to help identify plants suspected to be the cause of pet or livestock poisonings.
  
  
• Horticulturists often use herbariums to identify plants that grow well in local gardens and to search for related plants.
  
  
• Homeowners can use the herbarium to identify weeds, as well as desirable plants for their garden.

Where is the Cochise County Herbarium?

The Herbarium is located at the Plant Sciences Center, on the grounds of the University of Arizona South in Sierra Vista, Arizona.