Welcome to the Herbaria of Australasia
Australasian Herbaria are administratively embedded in a variety of government departments and educational institutions, collectively with the common goal of advancing knowledge of the taxonomy, distribution and conservation of the Australasian flora. New Zealand, the Commonwealth of Australia, and each Australian State and Territory has an official Herbarium, primarily responsible for delivering botanical knowledge of their jurisdiction, with several smaller Herbaria maintained in universities and other institutions.
Herbarium collections are never static; new specimens are added regularly, and ongoing botanical research refines taxonomic concepts and ensures the accuracy and appropriateness of botanical information. The ‘Australasian Virtual Herbarium’ [https://avh.chah.gov.au/] provides specimen level information for all collections maintained in Australasian Herbaria.
Herbarium guidance and management is undertaken principally by the ‘Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria’ (CHAH)[link] with support from the ‘Managers of Australasian Herbarium Collections’ (MAHC)[link] and the ‘Herbarium Information Systems Committee’ (HISCOM)[link], each with a unique role in ensuring the Herbaria provide an ongoing, accurate and accessible window to the Australasian flora.