Techniques for Collecting and Processing Plant Material and Their Application in Ethnobotany Research

Abstract

Until they are incorporated into an herbarium, the sampling of plant species and every process involved in their collection are key steps in many areas of botany. When sampling processes are performed properly, they provide information well beyond a plant’s scientifi c name; these processes also emphasize the local importance and conservation status of the species and its signifi cance in different environments. Showing plants in situ, fresh parts or even plant parts in small voucher specimens are becoming increasingly com- mon tools in ethnobotany because the goal is to obtain information and rescue the use of particular plants by traditional communities. Therefore, visualization of the plant sample is critical for ensuring that both the researcher and the community member are referring to the same plant. In this chapter, we will discuss the common techniques of sampling, preserving, and processing plant material as essential tools for basic fi eld procedures and their relevance and applications in methods that assist in ethnobotany research.