Use of Herbarium Voucher Specimens To Investigate Phytochemical Composition in Poisonous Plant Research

Abstract

Poisonous plants cause large losses to the livestock industry through death, reduced production efficiency, reproductive dysfunction, and compromised harvesting of rangeland and pasture forages. Research investigating poisonous plants is complex because there are hundreds of genera of toxic plants representing thousands of species. To investigate the effects of poisonous plants on livestock, a clear understanding of the taxonomic identity of the plant and the ability to collect the plant in sufficient quantities for scientific studies is required. Subsequently, the active principles must be defined and investigated in the taxa of interest to better predict risk and make recommendations to reduce losses. Herbaria are collections of preserved plant specimens and are an important resource in poisonous plant research. Voucher specimens have often been used in the identification of the plant for the experimental reproduction of suspected livestock poisoning associated with a spontaneous case. More recently, herbarium specimens have been used to investigate the chemical composition of toxic plants as well as the distribution of different chemotypes over the landscape. The primary purpose of this review is to highlight the chemical analysis of herbarium specimens in poisonous plant research.

Phylogenetic patterns of bioactive secondary metabolites produced by fungal endosymbionts in morning glories (Ipomoeeae, Convolvulaceae)

“…Herbaria and preserved plant specimens collected by researchers dating back 100 yr or more provide geographically and temporally diverse species for further investigations. Herbarium specimens have been used extensively for biogeographical, ecological, and environmental studies (Lavoie, 2013) and have also played an important role in phytochemical studies of bioactive compounds in various plant groups (Cook et al ., 2021). Herbarium specimens have also facilitated the survey of morning glory species for heritable symbionts where the respective fungal alkaloids found in seeds (EAs, IDTs, and SWN) provide direct evidence of their symbiotic status.…”

Diversifying the utility and species composition of Nordic forage systems : new fractionation methods and novel legume species

“…Due to the large digitisation effort that has been in effect over the last 30 years, these herbarium specimens have become more accessible to researchers around the world (Tulig et al, 2012). This large scale digitisation effort has allowed for novel utilization of herbarium specimens in many areas of research, such as global change biology, phytochemistry, and agronomy (Cook et al, 2021;Meineke et al, 2018;Willis et al, 2017). In recent years, prominent botanical institutions, such as the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Royal Botanic Garden Kew, have initiated projects that demonstrate the potential of integrating botanical knowledge in the identification and conservation of crop wild relatives .…”

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as a non-destructive method for analysing herbarium specimens

“…Herbarium specimens are biological time capsules providing data that can address environmental and ecological questions over tens to hundreds of years, providing unique insight into environmental and ecological processes from the start of industrialization [ 2 , 3 ]. Methods for the chemical analysis of herbarium specimens can be powerful methodologies for understanding variability within and between species and impacts of environmental changes on plants, and the current limitations of destructive testing methods [ 4 , 5 ]. Measurement of plant morphology, isotope ratios, element concentrations, species identity and DNA have been used to study the impacts of pollution [ 6 , 7 ], climate change, biological invasions and land-use changes.…”