Christmas Lichen
Specimen StoriesCabinet of Curiosities
This bright-colored lichen is called the 'Christmas Lichen' because of its bright…
Old Man's Beard
This lichen grows as an epiphyte on trees. They require clean air,…
Wolf lichen
The Wolf Lichen is one of the most showy North American lichens,…
Smooth rock tripe
This Umbilicaria species is regarded to be one of the largest lichens…
Pertusaria andersoniae
Specimen StoriesWomen in Science
Some of our herbarium specimens are of incredibly rare species. This is…
4 Millionth Specimen
With 7,800,000 specimens in our herbarium, reaching 4,000,000 specimens catalogued in our…
Dolly's Lichen
NYBG lichen curator James Lendemer and then-PhD student Jessi Allen named this…
Arthonia stevensoniana
Arthonia etymology unknown stevensoniana from Stevenson, honoring Robert Louis Stevenson, author of…
Witches!
Cabinet of CuriositiesWhat's in a name?
Don't be too scared by these witches - just some friendly plants…
Ellen's Types
Among many of the interesting things Ellen Hutchins collected were collections that…
Lettuce Lichen
Similar to the Old Man’s Beard, Lungwort lichens can only thrive in…
Muhlenberg's Smile
Almost everyone can name an endangered charismatic megafauna. But most would be…
#plantlove
Specimens contained in the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium represent the endless…
Understanding Interactions: Taking Botany Out of Isolation
For centuries we have viewed plants and fungi in isolation. Tried to…
Alpine Adaptation: Solid As A Rock
Lichens are the primary colonizers of new habitat in alpine regions. Unlike…
Old Man's Beard: A Medicinal Lichen
Usnea is a genus of lichen, commonly known as Old Man’s Beard. …
The LGBTQ+ Legacy of NYBG: Out of the…
Herbarium specimens are kept in metal cabinets to protect them from damage.…
NYBG 2023 New Species Review!
Every year, botanists describe hundreds of new plants, algae, fungi, and lichens…
NYBG 2022 New Species Review!
Every year, botanists describe hundreds of new plant, algal, fungal, and lichen…
NYBG 2021 New Species Review!
Every year, botanists describe hundreds of new plant, fungal, and lichen species from…
Reindeer Lichens
In this most wonderful time of the year, Christmas is naturally on…
Lichenicolous Fungi
Composed of different species each playing a different role, a lichen can…
Biocrusts of Cold Drylands
The default image that comes to mind when thinking of deserts is…
Biocrusts in Disturbed Areas
Our crusty companions play many imperative restoration roles in disturbed habitats, as…
Biocrusts of Hot Drylands
Hot deserts are found on all continents except Antarctica and Europe. In…
Women in Cryptogamic Botany
As scientific perspectives of the Enlightenment movement fostered enthusiasm surrounding the acquisition…
Trust in the Crust
earth /ˈərth/noun1) the planet on which we live; the world2) the substance…
Elke Mackenzie (I.M. Lamb)
The work and dedication of Elke Mackenzie (1911-1990) is critical to our…
Clara Eaton Cummings
Clara E. Cummings (1855-1906) was a cryptogamic botanist who focused primarily on…
Chicita Culberson
In early March of this year Chicita Culberson, whose work has been…
Cyanolichens
In this collection are some cyanolichens from the NYBG cryptogamic herbarium, some…
Dr. Héctor S. Osorio (1928-2016)
Dr. Héctor Saul Osorio, born in 1928 in Montevideo, was a Uruguayan…
Dra. Laura Guzmán-Dávalos (1961-)
Laura Guzmán-Dávalos’ explorations into the world of fungi are vast and far-reaching,…
Dra. Lidia Itatí Ferraro (1951-)
Dr. Lidia Itatí Ferraro, born in 1951, is an accomplished Argentine lichenologist.…
Celebrating Cryptogamic Botanists from Latin America
The Caribbean, Central America, and South America have long been geographical focal…
Bean-boozled
Cosmopolitan has a long-standing journalistic reputation for getting straight to the heart…