Day 1
On the first day, we picked up our rental car and welcome packets, which included our keys to the apartment we would be staying in. It was a gorgeous three bedroom apartment with a bathroom and a kitchen just down the road from the Missouri Botanical Garden. We were able to walk back to the Gardens from the apartment to later meet with our herbarium assistant who gave us an herbarium tour. We were able to see all the collections, including the Bryophytes, something I had never seen in an herbarium before. Instead of being kept on sheets like most other plant specimens, the Bryophytes were kept in small packets, and parts could be rehydrated for examination.
Day 2
Ashley and I spent the rest of the day beginning our research in the herbarium. We were able to borrow a camera stand to take level pictures of the specimens. Each one was photographed as a whole, then we zoomed the camera lens in to take close, high-definition photos of each prickle. The specimen genus, species, specimen number, and location were noted in a spreadsheet. We began with the genus Rosa and worked until 5:00pm. The Botanical Garden was holding their “Garden Glow,” which was their Christmas lights celebration. Because we were in the central time zone, the sun was going down by the time we got out. This made for a beautiful festive beginning to our trip. That evening, after walking around the gardens and enjoying the lights, we went to a local whole food grocery store to grab eggs and some healthy options to be able to have food at the apartment. Afterward, we grabbed a hot chocolate and a slice of pizza at a local restaurant!
On the second day (Saturday), we got up early, made breakfast and headed to the herbarium.
Joanna Page is an undergraduate student at UF advised by Dr. Steven Manchester, Curator of Paleobotany here at the Florida Museum.
The 2024 Fall Student Travel Awards are supported by the FLMNH Department of Natural History, including funds from the Louis C. and Jane Gapenski Endowed Fellowship and the B.J. and Eve Wilder Endowment. If you would like to help support this fund for future student awards, please go to:
Louis C. and Jane Gapenski Endowed Fellowship
B.J. and Eve Wilder Endowment