MSU Herbarium

MSU Herbarium Documenting plant and fungal diversity in support of research, conservation, teaching, and outreach at Michigan State University 🌱

This Tree Tuesday we are highlighting the mighty Carpinus caroliniana! This member of the birch family is also known by ...
06/02/2026

This Tree Tuesday we are highlighting the mighty Carpinus caroliniana! This member of the birch family is also known by the common name musclewood, in reference to its rippled, sinewy-looking, smooth, blue-gray trunk. As the name suggests, when harvested this tree produces a sturdy wood that has traditional used to make tool hands, golf clubs, and bows.

It produces winged nutlets as seen in this specimen collected from campus 2013.

📸: Alan Prather, Director of the Beal Botanical Garden

For today's specimen spotlight, we're highlighting a collection of Trillium grandiflorum that was collected by a plant s...
05/19/2026

For today's specimen spotlight, we're highlighting a collection of Trillium grandiflorum that was collected by a plant systematics honors student in 2023. This collection was made at Biebesheimer Woodlot, one of the many natural areas surrounding campus. Plant Systematics is one of many classes that where MSU students contribute plants, and each student collection helps contribute to our mission of documenting local biodiversity.

📸: Jennifer Apland, MSU Collections Coordiantor

Last Friday we joined EGLE and MSU SciFest at the 2026 Michigan Sustainabilty Summit! At the event, over 300 middle and ...
05/15/2026

Last Friday we joined EGLE and MSU SciFest at the 2026 Michigan Sustainabilty Summit!

At the event, over 300 middle and high school students showcased their sustainability projects, attended discussions on water quality and recycling their sustainability and network with professionals in environmental science careers.

We were excited to share herbarium specimens and how natural history collections can inform conservation decisions.

Also known as Smooth Rockcress, Borodinia laevigata is a quiet but fascinating native of rocky woodlands and cliffside h...
05/04/2026

Also known as Smooth Rockcress, Borodinia laevigata is a quiet but fascinating native of rocky woodlands and cliffside habitats across parts of eastern North America, including Michigan.

What makes this species especially interesting is its reproductive strategy; Many populations in Michigan are apomictic, meaning they produce seeds without fertilization. In other words, the seeds are essentially genetic clones of the ovule parent plant. This allows populations to persist and reproduce even in isolated or challenging environments, where pollinators or compatible mates may be limited.

A small plant with a big story, Borodinia laevigata is a great reminder of the diverse and often surprising ways native species adapt and thrive in Michigan’s landscapes.🌱

📸: Dr. Emily Josephs (MSU) and pfriedman (iNaturalist)

Meet the majestic Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), a towering native that’s especially meaningful here in Michigan—it...
04/28/2026

Meet the majestic Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), a towering native that’s especially meaningful here in Michigan—it’s our state tree!

Eastern White Pines are easy to spot by their soft, flexible needles that grow in bundles of five and these giants can grow over 150 feet tall, making them one of the tallest trees in eastern North America.

🌟 Fun fact: In the 1700s and 1800s, Eastern White Pines were highly prized for their long, straight trunks, which were perfect for making ship masts. They were so valuable that some were even reserved for the British Royal Navy!

Next time you’re out on a trail, look up, you might just be standing beneath one of these gentle forest giants. 🌲

📸: odhentomologist (iNaturalist)

Say hello to Seersucker sedge, one of Michigan’s most eye-catching woodland sedges. Known for its unique wrinkled leaf t...
04/27/2026

Say hello to Seersucker sedge, one of Michigan’s most eye-catching woodland sedges. Known for its unique wrinkled leaf texture, Carex plantaginea is among our broadest-leaved sedges, making it stand out on the forest floor.

Look closely in early spring and you’ll spot its beautiful long anthers and striking red bract sheaths, which add pops of color before many other plants have even begun to grow. In fact, seersucker sedge is one of the first flowers of spring, sometimes blooming as early as March when winter is just beginning to loosen its grip. 🌸❄️➡️🌿

Keep an eye on shady woodland trails in early spring; this textured beauty is an early sign that Michigan’s native plant season is officially underway.

📸: Scott Warner (MSU) and julybird (iNaturalist)

Tiny but mighty! Kraus’s Bristle Fern (Trichomanes krausii) is a delicate fern that grows in cool, humid forests where m...
04/24/2026

Tiny but mighty! Kraus’s Bristle Fern (Trichomanes krausii) is a delicate fern that grows in cool, humid forests where moisture hangs in the air. Its paper-thin fronds are so fine they can absorb water directly from their surroundings—no thick leaves needed!

Found in tropical regions like Haiti, this fern reminds us how important shaded, moisture-rich habitats are for supporting unique and sensitive plant life. Even the smallest plants play a big role in keeping ecosystems thriving. 🌱✨

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the MSU Herbarium’s Celery-brate Plants event! 🌿🥬 We loved sharing the wonders of...
04/22/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the MSU Herbarium’s Celery-brate Plants event! 🌿🥬 We loved sharing the wonders of plants with our community and seeing so many curious minds exploring, learning, and celebrating the plant world with us. Your enthusiasm made the day extra special, and we’re so grateful you came out to celebrate plants together. Stay tuned for more opportunities to connect with the amazing world of botany! 💚

This week we’re highlighting horned pondweed, an aquatic plant that often goes unnoticed beneath the surface of high-qua...
04/20/2026

This week we’re highlighting horned pondweed, an aquatic plant that often goes unnoticed beneath the surface of high-quality creeks and rivers. It’s considered an overlooked and under-collected species, even though it plays an important role in healthy freshwater ecosystems.

One of the most fascinating features of Zannichellia palustris is the shape of its fruits, which are incredibly interesting and unique. In fact, the fruits of this species resemble tiny bananas, giving this subtle plant a surprisingly fun characteristic. 🍌✨

Next time you’re near a clear creek or river, remember that some of Michigan’s most unique plants are hidden just below the water’s surface, quietly supporting biodiversity and water quality. 💧🌿

📸: Alex Ellison (MSU)

From the lush forests of Peru 🇵🇪 to the trunks of towering trees, the Tree-Trunk Spleenwort 🌿 makes its home high above ...
04/17/2026

From the lush forests of Peru 🇵🇪 to the trunks of towering trees, the Tree-Trunk Spleenwort 🌿 makes its home high above the forest floor. This unique fern doesn’t need soil to grow—instead, it clings to tree trunks, absorbing moisture and nutrients from the air and rain. Fun fact: ferns like the Tree-Trunk Spleenwort help create tiny habitats for insects and other small organisms, making them important players in forest ecosystems! 🌱

📸: skmorris (iNaturalist)

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Plant Biology Lab, 612 Wilson Road #166
East Lansing, MI
48824

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Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
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