Tippery Lab

Collect plant material from fresh, healthy (green) portions of the plant near the growing tips. Where possible, avoid leaves with brown/yellow areas, or insect or fungal damage. For aquatic plants, clean the plants of soil and algae before sending.

Voucher specimens help to make the DNA sequence data more broadly useful. Plan to send about 18 inches (45 cm) of stem tip, containing flowers and/or fruits, if possible. If you are unable to send a full-size voucher, you can send single leaves in a smaller container.

Fresh plant material can be sent inside an airtight (e.g., Ziploc®) bag. For aquatic plants, include a damp (not wet) paper towel to maintain high humidity. However, make sure the bag is free of standing water, which can hasten decay.

Another option is to send material that you have dried before sending. A common method is to press plants between sheets of newspaper, with steady air flow at a temperature around 100°F. Alternatively, you can dry smaller samples using a desiccant such as silica gel.

Send dried or fresh material by mail to the address below. Try to send the samples so that they arrive within two days of sending. (Mail at the beginning of the week to avoid weekend delays.)

Chain of custody form

Download and fill out a separate chain of custody form for each sample, and include the completed form in your shipment.