The Virtual Egyptian Herbarium Flora Information online Monier

The Virtual Egyptian Herbarium: Flora Information online Monier M. Abd El-Ghani The Herbarium-Botany Department Faculty of Science-Cairo University 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 1

What is the Virtual Herbarium? n n Simply, it is an on-line searchable botanical information resource accessible via the web. It provides herbarium specimen data, and digital images of specimens and labels to anyone with internet access. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 2

What are the resources of herbarium collections? n n Field collections made by staff and post-graduate students. Gifts and exchanges from other herbaria. Voucher specimens associated with research. Gifts from regional botanists. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 3

What information can be obtained from herbarium specimens? n Detailed attributes of the specimen such as the collector/s, date of collection, its correct botanical name, and often information on associated species and ecological preferences. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 4

n n n Additional important information include: Geographic and ecologic distribution Diversity of species Flowering and fruiting periods phenotypic characteristics, and genetic information This making it useful for research in phytogeography, systematics, taxonomy, ecology, and evolution. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 5

Why Cairo University Herbarium? n n It is one of the oldest plant information system in the region based on scientifically verifiable voucher specimens. It serves as an important botanical resource in the Middle East region. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 6

n n In addition to 99 type specimens, it houses a large number of old, fragile specimens (about 200, 000 specimens from Egypt and many parts of the world). It holds a historical record of over two hundred years of changes to our vegetation data for conservation and re-vegetation work, and a permanent reference collection to monitor changes in plant names. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 7

n It is utilized extensively as a research and educational facility: staff, associated staff, students and visiting researchers use the herbarium for taxonomic and floristic studies, plant identification, and as a permanent location of voucher specimens for genetic, chemical and ecological investigations. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 8

Our previous experience n n Few years ago, we tried to document our herbarium specimens. Special Information Sheet was designed for this purpose. About 2000 specimens were manually documented. Imaging of few specimens with ordinary digital camera was started. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 9

Logo of the Cairo University Herbarium (CAI) 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 10

n Several obstacles were opposed, and the work completely ceased. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 11

How to build a virtual herbarium? n n n Database creation It is important that the herbarium will retain ownership of its data. This means that only the owning institution can modify data in its database. The database includes all botanical information from specimen labels Herbarium Management Programs (as BRAHMS or TRACY) can be used 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 12

n n n Imaging of species will: Feature living plants Show habitat, habit, and all features uses for identification Be selected for clarity and visual appeal VOUCHERED, to ensure scientific credibility and longevity 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 13

n n n Specimen images will be Scanned from specimens Accessible via herbarium code and accession number, collector's name and number Taxon name and collector's name Type specimens will be "filed" separately 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 14

Description of species Information on the natural history or biology of a species n 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 15

Distributional Information n n Initially, the information will be made available as lists that can be selected and ordered by: Taxon Province Collector Date 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 16

n n n Nomenclatural Information The Virtual Herbarium will provide explanations of differing interpretations of scientific names. Because one purpose of the Virtual Herbarium is to attract non-botanists, information will also be made available through common names, to the extent that this is feasible. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 17

n n As a result, we will make available the oldest and largest regional herbarium available on-line in Egypt We will make available to our diverse audiences (botanists, conservationists, policy makers, and the general public) almost 200, 000 herbarium records. 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 18

IT IS A DREAM WE WISH TO IMPLEMENT TO KEEP EFFORTS THAT V. TAECKHOLM STARTED MANY YEARS AGO TO EXTEND TO NEXT GENERATIONS 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 19

THANK YOU 09/03/2021 Virtual Egyptian Herbarium 20