The public is cordially invited to attend a joint Open House tour of the
Herbarium and the Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank at Portland State University on October 6th, 2025 from 12:00pm to 3:00pm.
What is an herbarium? It is a collection of dried and mounted plants that are systematically identified and classified (by family, genus, and species) and the facilities in which the collection is kept.
Why is the Herbarium important? It provides archival documentation and
voucher specimens of historical and contemporary vegetation which are used to examine, compare, and identify species and their localities. It can be used to document changes to vegetative communities over time (including invasive weed migration) and to provide baseline vegetation data useful in planning ecological restoration projects.
What is a seed bank? It is an 'ex situ' conservation facility that stores seeds from various plant species, often for extended periods of time.
Why is the Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank important? It preserves and supports the long-term viability and genetic diversity of plants (including rare species) for future generations through seed storage, which minimizes exposure to threats from such things as climate change and habitat loss. It is essential for research in plant germination and breeding studies and may provide materials for restoring ecosystems and/or re-introduction of species that have been lost from their native habitats.
The Herbarium visit will showcase both recent and historical botanical
collections (including those by Joseph and Thomas Howell) and provide
opportunity to discuss ongoing and past projects (including the Urbanizing
Flora of Portland). The Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank visit will include a tour of the seed vault and greenhouse to learn the importance of seed banking, plant propagation and seed germination techniques, and to learn about rare plant surveys led by seed bank staff and volunteers. There will be ample
opportunity to discuss with staff the importance of the Herbarium and Seed
Bank as critical resources for our local natural resource community including land managers, conservation practitioners, and botanical hobbyists!
The Herbarium and Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank are located in the basement of the SRTC building on the Portland State University campus (rooms B1-34 and B1-81, respectively),1719 SW 10th Ave. Portland, OR 97201.
Open_House_Flier_herbarium_Seed_bank.pdf
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