The Friesner Hearbarium is a systematic collection of nearly 100,000 dried, pressed, and preserved plant specimens. The Herbarium, third largest in the state, grew from the personal collection of Dr. Ray C. Friesner, Professor and Chair of the Butler University Botany Department, 1920-1952. The specimens, with their carefully documentated labels, comprise a reference library on historical distribution, habitats, and timing of flowering and fruit production. The collection's voucher specimens serve to verify plant identification.

Although the Herbarium contains plants from around the world, the collection emphasizes plants of the Ohio River Valley region. The collection is of great value to professional botanists; information can be shared through a network of exchange and loan of specimens. Students, faculty, and staff from Butler's Department of Biological Sciences frequently use the Herbarium as a reference. In addition, the Herbarium holdings are available to enrich teaching and laboratory exercises for students in biology courses.

The Herbarium is open to the public by appointment.  Call (317) 940-9413  or e-mail Dr. Rebecca Dolan, Director to arrange a visit. 

Click here to read our Annual Report for 2008.

The Friesner Herbarium is proud to announce they have received a grant from the Indiana State Library for the "Indiana Ferns and Orchids Specimens Digitization Project".  The goal of the project is to increase access to, awareness of and use by all citizens of Indiana of the valuable historical botanical information contained with the Friesner Herbarium.  This project will be a relatively small pilot project of about 1,800 Indiana fern and orchid specimens.  If successful, additional grants applications will be submitted to cover other plant families.  The images will be posted along with associated metadata on Butler University servers with links to the Indiana Memory site of the Indiana State Library.

Upon completion of the project in early 2010, a display and reception will be held at Butler University Libraries.  Please check back for further details.

Events:

June 20 & 27 - Indiana Community Tree Steward Program

Open to volunteers, tree board members, Master Gardeners, municipal employees, students, and anyone else with an interest in the proper care of trees, the program requires two days of classroom training and one day of community service. Sponsored by Indiana Urban Forest Council and Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry. Topics include soil, how trees grow, tree identification, diagnosing problems, proper planting, and care. There is an exam.

The program will be at the Purdue University Marion County Extension Office, 6640 Intech Blvd., Suite 120. Fee of $30 includes course materials and refreshments. Register by June 12. For more, contact April Murray-Clayton at 317-591-1170, amurray-clayton@dnr.IN.gov

July 24-26 - Midwest Native Plant Conference, Hope Hotel, Dayton, Ohio

Carolyn Harstad is the keynote speaker at the Saturday night banquet. For more information and to register, visit their website www.cincinnatibirds.com/mwnp

September 25-27 - Hoosier Outdoor Expo

Fort Harrison State Park, Indianapolis. Click here for more information.

November 3, 7:30 p.m. FREE LECTURE by Doug Tallamy, Clowes Memorial Hall. He was the keynote speaker at the 2008 INPAWS Annual Conference and gave an excellent, thought-provoking, and garden-changing event! Definitely plan to attend!  More details later.   Doug is the author of Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, which is now available in paperback in an expanded and updated edition. Doug is an entomologist at the University of Delaware, and his book (which is based on many years of research) is about the vital link between native plants and healthy wildlife populations. Click on the book link above to go to Timber Press to order the book.

November 6-8, Environmental Education Association of Indiana Conference - "Fading Your Carbon Footprint, Living Sustainably in a Modern World" - Click here for information

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