Cryptogams Herbarium
The Cryptogams Herbarium, housed in the Farlow Herbarium of the Harvard University Herbaria, has almost 18,000 specimens of New England lichens, bryophytes, algae and fungi collected by the early members of the botanical club and other regional botanists such as W. G. Farlow, J. F. Collins, E. D. Merrill, C. G. Pringle, E. B. Chamberlain, E. B. Harger, and C. E. Cummings. More recent collections include those of D. R. Bowley, who worked on the lichens on the summit of Mt. Mansfield, VT, as well as J. Oemig, L. Harper and others.
The NEBS collections can be accessed through the HUH website (https://huh.harvard.edu/pages/digital-resources), the Lichen Portal (https://lichenportal.org/portal/), the Bryophyte Portal (https://bryophyteportal.org/portal/), and the Macrofungi Portal (https://mycoportal.org//portal/index.php).
People
- Curator of Cryptogams: Elizabeth Kneiper (ekneiper@aol.com)
- Assistant Curator: Allen Milby (milbs94@vt.edu)
- Associate Curator: Dr. Michaela Schmull (mschmull@oeb.harvard.edu)
Visiting/Loans
Visitors are welcome to visit the Farlow Herbarium HUH by appointment to study specimens (contact huh-requests@oeb.harvard.edu).
All loans and requests for destructive sampling are handled through the Harvard University Herbaria, and are made to scientific institutions only. Please see the HUH website or contact huh-requests@oeb.harvard.edu to request a loan of cryptogam specimens from the NEBS herbarium.
Collecting
The NEBS encourages responsible collecting of New England cryptogam specimens to continue to ensure that the herbarium represents the diversity, distribution, and phenology of the New England flora. Collectors must adhere to the policies on Ethics and Permits and Permissions. The Lichen Collecting Guidelines and the Bryophyte Collecting Guidelines provide further details. Collectors should contact the Curator before submitting any specimens.
Volunteering
The Herbarium welcomes volunteers willing to assist with curatorial work. In addition to semi-annual volunteer days that are advertised in monthly e-mails to members and posted on the website, the Curator holds regular volunteer work sessions during the academic year. Please contact the Curator if you are interested in becoming a volunteer.
The next volunteer workday at the Vascular Plant and Cryptogam Herbaria at Harvard University Herbaria will be prior to the meeting on Friday, November 6, 2026. There are plenty of curatorial tasks for people at all levels of experience from 10 AM to 5 PM. Please contact NEBS Curator of Cryptogams, Elizabeth Kneiper at ekneiper@aol.com before Wednesday, Nov. 4 if you are interested in participating in tasks at the Cryptogam Herbarium.
