ABOUT:

The (virtual) Kentucky Weed Seed Herbarium was started by Paul Adanick in 2026 to provide quality photographs for the identification of often overlooked horticultural and agricultural weed seeds in Kentucky. Many of the current seed taxonomy manuals feature poorly photographed specimens or do not list species present in this region. Also, many photos from internet searches render results that are dubious or may not reflect the latest taxonomy.

 

The purpose is to provide a virtual seed collection that is backed by “voucher” specimens in established herbaria or the author’s personal one and utilizing a standard reference for the taxonomic treatments. These vouchers can then be used to verify identification in perpetuity.

 

GOALS:

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- Provide online images (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Weed_seeds_of_kentucky), eventually establishing a database of invasive or weed seeds that affect the horticultural and agricultural entities in Kentucky.

 

These resources will be:

 

-accessible to the public.

 

-verifiable by voucher specimen.

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- using consistent and updated taxonomy.

 

FUTURE GOALS:

 

From the recomendations by Nesbitt, M., S. Colledge and M.A. Murray. 2003. Organization and management of seed reference collections. Environmental Archeology 8:77-84:

 

-increase the number and cataloguing of seed images.

 

- build upon Martin’s (1946) classic manual on seed identification to the family level and work by the Baskin’s (UKy). More taxa could be documented with wider range of illustrations.

 

- create detailed studies of critical taxa at genus and species level by developing good seed reference collections.