If you have explored IU Herbarium’s digital herbarium and poked around in the species pages, you might have noticed that some species have beautiful, detailed photos that show off various parts of the plants. With more than 2700 different species in Indiana, however, many species pages are lacking quality images and instead only have photos of herbarium specimens—dead, dried plants mounted on paper. That’s where you come in!
With the help of the public, our goal is to gather diagnostic photos of various plant species from across Indiana. Every region of the state is home to different species, so we encourage people of all ages to get outside and explore their area’s unique flora! In the process, the photos and information you submit will also serve as occurrence records—essentially an informal population count that documents how plant species are doing across the state. It’s a win for everyone!
