Toulouse University III - Paul Sabatier / e-ReColNat Infrastructure

The Paul Sabatier University (UPS) of Toulouse possesses 70 herbaria of various sizes and origins, which add up to about 400,000 sheets. These herbaria were composed between the 19h and 20th centuries, the oldest dating back to 1811, and the most recent from 2010.

The collection includes 37 Cryptogam herbaria (5 of algae, 6 of lichens, 15 of fungi and 11 of mosses), and 31 Phanerogam herbaria. Among them, the University possesses an important “South-West” herbarium, mostly collected by Henri Gaussen, phytogeographer and conifer specialist. About 30 other botanists, specialists of the region in particular (Sudre, Conill, Marty, Coste, Timbal-Lagrave etc.), had also participated to the composition of this Herbarium. This collection of regional plants is an irreplaceable biological reference for every scientist who is interested in the flora of our region and of the Pyrenees. Data on sampling sites referenced on tags trace endangered plant species, extinct populations of threatened species, and establish protective measures.

The University also owns herbaria from Spain, Italy, Guadeloupe, La Réunion, Equatorial Africa, Australia, India etc. In 2008, the important Pharmacy herbarium is linked to the collections, and has since been fully restored ( replacement of paper and sample fixation).

The herbaria collection presents more than 1,000 nomenclatural types, which makes it a biological heritage of international reference. The herbaria are used in a lot of research programs of teams belonging to the UPS research laboratories, mainly the UMR 5245 ECOLAB, the UMR 5546 LRSV, and the UMR 5174 EDB. Demands on loans and herbaria information come from all over the world. These herbaria are also used as base material for general public communication as well as research material for University students ("Fragments de Sciences", exhibition on the Rivals herbarium of La Réunion, Science Day, Common Heritage Days, etc.).

In 2014, the Herbaria were moved in new storage facilities on the UPS campus: they occupy a volume of 125 m3, for a surface of 350 m². The inventory started in 2004, and continues its progress, with a few new discoveries. To this day, about 70,000 sheets have already been registered on a database. This database is not yet available online, but the list of herbaria is heavily shared on several websites (Index Herbarorium, Tela Botanica, Toulouse Botanical Garden website, etc.). Parallel to the computer inventory, some herbaria are restored and digitized (Rivals Herbarium, Herbarium of Pharmacy, Herbarium of conifers, etc.). The UPS takes part in the national program E-ReColNat which goal is to digitize the entire French herbaria.

The herbaria collection is managed by UPS “Service Commun d’Etudes” and the “Conservation des Collections Patrimoniales” (SCECCP). Access to the reserves on appointment only, and herbaria information demands can be done by email.

Contacts
Paul Seimandi : paul.seimandi@univ-tlse3.fr
Nathalie Delmas : nathalie.delmas@lrsv.ups-tlse.fr