Mounting botanical specimens

Lydia C. Egunnike <l.egunnike [at] slq__qld__gov__au> writes

>I was hoping someone may know of a simple, safe technique for
>remounting botanical specimens. ...

NMGW herbarium material has always been mounted solely with gelatine
backed linen tape. The tape comes in rolls and it is cut to the
required size depending on the specimen. It is moistened with water
on a damp cloth or tissue. This is a completely reversible method of
mounting the specimens. It holds the specimen securely to the mount
board but it also allows some flexibility. Handling the specimen
sheets causes some movement and also NMGW routinely freezes the
botanical material as a method of pest control, this can cause
stress to the specimen if some glues are used. Gelatine sized cotton
board is used for the mount board, and all data is adhered with
Evacon (Ethylenevinylacetate) which is also reversible.

NMGW specimens are sent on loan and there have not been any problems
(such as loss of material through damage)in sending out specimens
that have been mounted with linen tape. Researchers have commented
on the fact that the linen tape is completely reversible which
allows them more flexibility in their work, especially for
identification.

Victoria Purewal
Department of Biodiversity and Systematic Biology
National Museum and Galleries of Wales
Cathays Park
Cardiff CF10 3NP
Wales UK
+44 2920 573119
Fax: +44 2920 239829


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:68
                    Distributed: Friday, May 2, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-16-68-001
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