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The students of
Systematic Botany in the Indian sub-continent have benefited much
from two national Herbaria located in Dehra Dun, namely the
Herbarium of Forest Research Institute (DD) and the Herbarium of
Botanical Survey of India, Northern Circle, Dehra Dun
(BSD). For the young and amateur botanists, Dehra Dun offers yet
another place of learning i.e., HERBARIUM SOMDEVA at 13,
Balbir Avenue.
Curated and maintained single
handedly by Prof. Som Deva for more than four decades, this
Herbarium houses more than
20,000 specimens of Angiosperms from north India covering the Upper Gangetic Plains, Shivaliks, Chakrata Hills and various parts of
Greater Himalaya. Perhaps it is one of the largest private
collections of flowering plants in the country. The specimens
have been largely collected by Prof. Deva himself (Field Numbers
11,343) and his students. The specimens
have been neatly affixed and labeled indigenously on newspapers which have been kept under the standard Genus and Family folders.
The arrangement follows Bentham
& Hooker’s System of Classification. Under each Family of
Angiosperms there are elaborate notes on the number of genera
and species within various phytogeographic regions within India
and neighboring countries. Each specimen bears a collection number
and an index number. The index number has been drawn from
Sir J.D. Hooker’s Flora of British India (FBI). For example, the
sheet bearing Crotalaria mysorensis has been numbered as
50.8.21. This indicates Family No. 50 (Leguminosae), Genus no. 8
(Crotalaria) and species no. 21 given in FBI.
Using this index one can easily find the reference of the
species in FBI. |
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Pressed Specimen
Herbarium Somdeva
A view of reference cards: Illustrations on Corydalis
spp.
One of the
important features of the Herbarium Somdeva is the system of
reference cards for each specimen that has been examined by
Prof. Deva. The cards contain valuable information on the
phytogeography, the specimens examined in DD and BSD and in many
cases careful hand-drawings to aid identification of the
species.
Prof. Deva has devoted a
considerable amount of time in the study of difficult groups
especially
grasses. The grass specimens also bear detailed illustrations of
florets based on microscopic examination, a feature not seen in
most of the Herbaria. Any Agrostologist revising the grass flora
of India would find this Herbarium a treasure house of
information. Detailed illustrations are also available for
Fumariaceae, Brassicaceae, Orchidaceae and Cyperaceae.
The Herbarium Som Deva is truly a
national wealth that needs to be recognized
and put to best use by the scientific community.
Plant Press
Prof. Som Deva's study table
Thanks to
Dr. Gopal Singh Rawat
who has prepared this section and has volunteered to co ordinate
and update as and when required.
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