Appendix 1 Awkward Plants and Plants that present a Health and Safety Risk plants when mounting ‘Awkward’ Genus (species if relevant) Rubus Thorny (H&S), stems (buckling on sheets on top of each other) Rumex Flower detachment Eucalyptus Waxy cuticle (adhesive difficult to apply) Gentiana Long flower head and short body, important not to impede the flower when mounting but the length of the flower makes it more vulnerable to damage Pinaceae e.g. Pinus, Needle detachment, bulky larix, Cedrus Rosa See Rubus spiny, thorny stems – Cirsium & Carduus leaves and stems; bulky and fragile seed heads Ferns e.g. Dryopteris, Large often needing two or more sheets. Fronds often wider than – Athyrium sheet. Risk of cross-contamination of spores on brushes (if using adhesive) Asteraceae many Flowerheads often go to seed on pressing/drying of specimens. – genera esp. Taraxacum and Hieracium leaves are flimsy. Taraxacum, Hieracium Lemna Very small nature of plant makes it difficult to handle/separate out. Charophytes Fragile Papaver Very thin petals Sometimes long rhizome attached Carex arenaria Bracken Re rhizomes see above v.bulky, lots of spores, often very large and so several sheets – needed Zingiberaceae Bulky roots and fragile flowers Epilobium; some Apocynaceae Seed pods can expand and open after mounting Typhaceae Like Asteraceae above flower heads can go to seed during or after – mounting with change in humidity Poaceae Often large amount of material sometimes delicate to ‘intertwined’ – separate. made during pressing can be weak breaking points. ‘Bends’ Iridaceae Delicate flowers Cactaceae Bulky and spiny. Need to be well prepared during drying (flesh removed) Palmaceae Bulky. Need cutting for continuation sheets Chara, Nitella, Fragile break easily – Tolypella
Appendix 1 Awkward Plants and Plants that present a Health and Safety Risk Genus (species if relevant) Rubus Thorny (H&S), stems (buckling on sheets on top of each other) Rumex Flower detachment Eucalyptus Waxy cuticle (adhesive difficult to apply) Gentiana Long flower head and short body, important not to impede the flower when mounting but the length of the flower makes it more vulnerable to damage Pinaceae e.g. Pinus, larix, Cedrus Needle detachment, bulky Rosa See Rubus – spiny, thorny stems Cirsium & Carduus leaves and stems; bulky and fragile seed heads Ferns e.g. Dryopteris, Athyrium Large – often needing two or more sheets. Fronds often wider than sheet. Risk of cross-contamination of spores on brushes (if using adhesive) Asteraceae – many genera esp. Taraxacum, Hieracium Flowerheads often go to seed on pressing/drying of specimens. Taraxacum and Hieracium leaves are flimsy. Lemna Very small nature of plant makes it difficult to handle/separate out. Charophytes Fragile Papaver Very thin petals Carex arenaria Sometimes long rhizome attached Bracken Re rhizomes see above – v.bulky, lots of spores, often very large and so several sheets needed ‘Awkward’ plants when mounting Typhaceae Like Asteraceae above – flower heads can go to seed during or after mounting with change in humidity Poaceae Often large amount of material ‘intertwined’ – sometimes delicate to separate. ‘Bends’ made during pressing can be weak breaking points. Iridaceae Delicate flowers Cactaceae Bulky and spiny. Need to be well prepared during drying (flesh removed) Palmaceae Bulky. Need cutting for continuation sheets Chara, Nitella, Tolypella Fragile – break easily Zingiberaceae Bulky roots and fragile flowers Epilobium; some Apocynaceae Seed pods can expand and open after mounting
Botanical%20Best%20Practice%20Notes.docx