91¿´Æ¬

Ellen Dean, Director and Curator of the recently relocated 91¿´Æ¬ Davis Herbarium, looks on as Professor Emeritus John Tucker examines a mounted specimen of Tucker's Oak (Quercus john tuckeri). Tucker collected and mounted this specimen nearly 60 years ago, when the herbarium was being developed in Robbins Hall. At the time, specimens numbered fewer than 10,000. Today the collection includes 250,000 specimens and occupies 3,500 square feet in the new Center for Plant Diversity in the Science Laboratory Building. The new facility is climate-controlled to help control pest populations that feed on dried plant material. Tucker contributed $500,000 toward the construction of the new facility and to establish the John M. Tucker Oak Collection Endowed Fund, which supports the 91¿´Æ¬ Davis arboretum's collection of oak trees. The 91¿´Æ¬ Davis Herbarium has been called "one of the greatest public services" of 91¿´Æ¬ Davis for its accessibility and impact on scientific research. Herbarium specimen data can be used to track the spread of noxious weeds and the demise of rare plant species. The specimens are a historic record of where and when plant species have grown. The Center for Plant Diversity is located in 1026 Sciences Labor-atory Building. For details about the herbarium, visit .