Herbarium Research


» Research

The herbarium's collections contribute to a wide variety of research projects. In addition, WTU organizes a number of field projects and collecting trips each year involving several partners agencies, helping to expand our knowledge of the flora of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

The collections are available for research use during normal herbarium hours. Interested researchers should contact David Giblin for more information about using our collections. Some requests for specimen data can be answered online using our specimen search page or resources page.

Individuals interested in participating in the Herbarium's annual forays or field projects are encouraged to contact us.


Field Projects

WTU faculty and staff participate in a wide range of botanical inventory projects. We provide our partners with field collecting expertise, taxonomic skills, and curatorial resources ensuring proper identification and storage of specimens.

Herbarium staff have also played an active role in the International Kuril Island Project (1995-2001) and International Sakhalin Island Project (2001-2003) in far eastern Russia.


Research Projects

Herbarium faculty, staff, Research Associates, Visiting Scholars and students participate in a wide variety of laboratory and field research utilizing WTU's collections and resources.

Peter Zika at microscope.

Recent Publications

Recent publications based on WTU's collections, by Herbarium faculty, staff, Research Associates, Visiting Scholars and students.

Chen, S., K. Guan, Z. Xhou, R. G. Olmstead, and Q. Cronk.  2005.  Molecular phylogeny of Incarvillea Juss.  (Bignoniaceae) based on ITS and trnL-F sequences.  Am. J. Bot. 92: 625-633.

Clarkson, J. J., S. Knapp, S. Aoki, V. F. Garcia, R. G. Olmstead, and M. W. Chase.  2004.  Phylogenetic relationships in Nicotiana (Solanaceae) inferred from multiple plastid DNA regions. Mol. Phylogen. Evol. 33: 75-90.

Giblin, D.E.  2004.  Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive).  In:  100 worst invasive species in the Pacific  Northwest.  Eds. D. Boersma, S. Reichard, A. Van Buren.  (In Press)

Giblin, D.E.  2004.  Native plants to know and grow: Campanula rotundifolia (harebell).  Douglasia 28(1): 2.

Giblin, D.E.  2004.  Recent activities at the University of Washington Herbarium.  Douglasia 28(1): 14-15.

Giblin, D.E.  2004.  Pollination biology at Garden in the Woods.  Notes of the New England Wildflower  Society 8(2):4-7.

Giblin, D.E.  2004.  International efforts for native pollinator conservation.  Douglasia 28(3).

Giblin, D. E., and R. G. Olmstead.  2004.  Noteworthy Collections:  Scutellaria angustifolia  ssp. micrantha.  Madrono 51(4): 397-398.

Joneson, S., and K. Glew.  2004.  Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides (Ascomycotina, Caliciaceae) found in Western Washington.   Douglasia 28(2): 2-3.

Judd, W. S. and R. G. Olmstead.  2004.  A survey of tricolpate (eudicot) diversity. Am. J. Bot., 91: 1627-1644.

Moylan, E., J. Bennett, M. Carine, R. G. Olmstead, and R. W. Scotland.  2004.  Phylogenetic relationships among Strobilanthes s.l. (Acanthaceae): Evidence from ITS nrDNA, trnL-F cpDNA, and morphology. Amer. J. Bot. 91: 724-735

Olmstead, R. G. and R. W. Scotland.  Letter to the Editor of Taxon.  A response to Lee’s paper in Taxon 54: 7-8.

Olmstead, R. G.  2004.  Review of:  “Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach, 2nd Ed.”  Syst. Biol. 53: 517-518.

Steane, D., R. de Kok, and R. G. Olmstead.  2004.  Phylogenetic relationships of Huxleya and Kalaharia inferred from nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequence data.  Mol. Phylogen. Evol. 32: 39-45.

Stefanovic, S. L. and R. G. Olmstead.  2004.  Testing the phylogenetic position of a parasitic plant (Cuscuta,  Convolvulaceae, Asteridae):  Bayesian inference and the Parametric Bootstrap on data drawn from three genomes.  Syst. Biol. 53: 384-399.

Trusty, J., R. G. Olmstead, D. J. Bogler, A. Santos-Guerra, and J. Francisco-Ortega.  2004.  Using molecular data to test a biogeographic connection of the Macronesian genus Bystropogon (Lamiaceae) to the New World:  a case of conflicting phylogenies.  Syst. Bot. 29: 702-715. 

Trusty, J. L., R. G. Olmstead, A. Santos-Guerra, S. Sa-Fontinha, and J. Francisco-Ortega.  Molecular  phylogenetics of the Macronesian endemic genus Bystropogon (Lamiaceae): paleo-islands, ecological shifts, and inter-island colonizations.  Mol. Ecol. 14: 1177-1189.

Wolf, P. G., K. G. Karol, D. F. Mandoli, J. Kuehl, K. Arumuganathan, M. W. Ellis, B. D. Mishler, D. G. Kelch, R. G. Olmstead, and J. L. Boore.  2005.  The first complete chloroplast genome of a lycophyte:  Huperzia lucidula (Lycopodiaceae).  Gene 350: 117-128. 

Zika, P. F.  2004.  A noteworthy collection from California. Madrono 51: 395.

Zika, P. F.  2004.  Noteworthy collections from Oregon and Washington. Madrono 51: 395-397.