About the Herbarium
Welcome to the University of Arkansas Herbarium
The purpose of the University of Arkansas Herbarium is to document the diversity and distribution of the vascular and non-vascular plants of Arkansas and to make the collection available for study by research scientists and university students.
The University of Arkansas Herbarium (UARK) was founded in 1875 when Professor Francis LeRoy Harvey began collecting, preserving, and cataloging specimens of vascular plants for scientific study by student and professional researchers. He collected extensively to the furthest reaches of the state, using a free pass from the railroad to reach remote areas and to send his specimens back to Fayetteville.
By 1882, Professor Harvey had amassed a plant collection large enough to be referenced in the university's annual report. When he left Fayetteville in 1885 to pursue a career as State Geologist of Maine, the university bought his collection of 3,000 plant specimens. Today, the collection numbers approximately 125,000 vascular plant specimens, including 65 type specimens, and nearly 3,000 bryophyte specimens. The collections include important specimens from Professor Harvey, Delzie Demaree, Dwight M. Moore, John T. Buchholz, and Hugh H. Iltis.
The vascular plant and bryophyte collections and associated literature library are valuable resources for those investigating the flora of Arkansas and surrounding region and are available for use by university faculty, qualified students, and visiting researchers, by appointment.