Management Policy

1. Details of Collection

1.1. Name of Collection

University of Melbourne Herbarium (MELU)

1.2. Location of Collection

School of Botany (Room19, First Floor, Natural Philosophy Building)

1.3. Address of Collection

University of Melbourne Herbarium
School of Botany
University of Melbourne
Victoria   3010
ph: +61-3-8344 5040
fax: +61-3-8347 5460
email: botany-herbarium@unimelb.edu.au
home page: http://www.botany.unimelb.edu.au/herbarium

1.4. University personnel directly responsible for collection

Director  Dr Andrew Drinnan (Associate Professor in Botany)
Collection Manager: Ms Nicole Middleton
Technical Officer: Ms Kathy Vohs

1.5. Nature of Collection

Plant specimens preserved and mounted in the following way

• Dried and pressed, fixed to cardboard sheets
• Dried and stored in paper envelopes or cardboard specimen boxes
• Preserved in 70% ethanol

1.6. Accessory equipment and materials

Small library of floristic and botanical books

Computers and printer
Dissecting microscopes
Freezer

1.7. Accreditation

Designated MELU in Index Herbariorum, the international listing of herbaria

• Member of the combined University Herbaria (Australia), which is a member of the Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria (CHAH)
• Authorised by Environment under the Commonwealth of Australia Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982 to exchange Museum/Herbarium specimens and handle specimens under the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
• The School of Botany has a formal research agreement with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.

1.8. Access/hours of opening

By appointment with the Collection Manager

2. Role of Collection

2.1. Mission

The mission of The Herbarium is to support teaching and research in plant sciences at the University of Melbourne.

In 1926 the University of Melbourne Herbarium was established in the School of Botany with the donation of plant specimens by the Rev. Herman Montague Rucker Rupp.  During subsequent years the Herbarium has grown into a collection of 80,000 – 100,000 specimens covering the diversity of algae, fungi, bryophytes, lichens and vascular plants.  The main emphasis of the Herbarium is to cover the Victorian flora but representation from other Australian states, as well as other countries in some taxonomic categories, adds botanical value.  The Herbarium contributes substantially to the School of Botany though research, teaching and special collections.

Reference Collection:  The Herbarium is a reference collection of Victorian plants, and serves as an important aid in the identification of plants collected in the field.

Research:  The Herbarium serves as a repository for voucher specimens, documenting research conducted in the School of Botany for subsequent examination by interested researchers and unequivocal record of the species under investigation.

Teaching:  The Herbarium is an important resource for teaching science and agriculture undergraduate students plant systematics and diversity.  Through participation in the Extra Curricular Work Experience Scheme students can learn about managing an archival herbarium collection, plant identification, plant taxonomy and nomenclature beyond their undergraduate studies.

Special Collections:  Special coverage of several plant groups in the MELU collection is unequalled in any other herbarium, making them unique and extremely important research specimens within the international botanical community.  These special collections include red algae, macrofungi, mosses and eucalypts, and contain many "nomenclatural types": the individual specimens that define their species according to the international code governing plant taxonomy.

Specimens are regularly lent to botanists in Australia and international scientific institutions in accordance with Australian and international quarantine laws.  Australian and international scientists visit the Herbarium to view specimens for research purposes.

2.2. Exhibition and Display

The Herbarium is classed as a collection, and has no display or exhibition function.  Items may be loaned for display with permission of the Director.

3. Collection Policies

3.1. Clear legal title

The University holds clear legal title to all items in the collection

3.2. Acquisition

The Herbarium will acquire individual items or entire collections according to the following policy:

• Clear legal title passes to the University of Melbourne
• The acquisition is consistent with the mission of The Herbarium.
• Specimens are of a high quality such that they have potential for reference, research, or teaching.
• Collections have a unique geographical, historical or other special relevance.
• Specimens may be acquired by exchange subject to the disposal policy below.

3.3. Deaccessioning and disposal

• No significant or substantial component of the collection is to be disposed of without prior consultation with the Head of the School of Botany.  Any such component to be disposed of is to be offered free of charge to an appropriate institution.  These would normally be, first, The National Herbarium of Victoria, and secondly, any other Australian herbarium via the Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria (CHAH).
• Individual items may be deaccessioned if they are of poor quality or are otherwise deemed by the Director to no longer fill the mission of The Herbarium.
• The Herbarium may exchange specimens with, or donate specimens to, other institutions as long as the specimens have not been accessioned into the collection and sufficient duplicates or similar items are present in the collection, or the specimens do not fill the mission of the Herbarium

3.4. Loans

Items from the collection are loaned for research and other relevant purposes (e.g., display) according to the following policy:

• All loans to individuals are made through the affiliated Institution of that individual and are considered loans to that Institution.  Such institutions must be accredited under the Commonwealth of Australia Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982 or CITES (www.cites.org).
• All loans are made under the legislative regulations governed by the above Act.

The Herbarium receives loans from other Institutions on behalf of School of Botany research personnel.  All documentation for these loans must be processed through the Collection Manager.

4. Risk Assessment

4.1. Safety

For purposes of safety and emergency procedures, The Herbarium is part of the School of Botany SafetyMAP program.  Emergency procedures and safety notices are posted on the entrance door.

4.2. Security

The Herbarium is unlocked 9am – 5pm but is only open to those who have been inducted on conservation and safety within the Herbarium.  Authorised School of Botany research personnel have 24 hour key access.  All visitors and undergraduate students must make appointments with the Collections Manager.

4.3. Disaster Preparedness

The major identified threats to the collection are fire, water damage, and insect infestation.  The main counters to these threats are preventative and are outlined in the Management Plan.  The Herbarium has a disaster bin that is equipped with useful items for use during an emergency.

5. Review

This document is to reviewed every five years

• Date of current document: 24 November 2005
• Date of next review: November 2010

6. Other Documents available

• Loans Policy

(Contact Collection Manager for details)