How To Mount Dried Plants
- Herbariums use 100 percent rag paper (usually 11 1/2 by 16 1/2 inches) and white library glue. Rag paper is expensive and hard to obtain (available from some biological supply houses), so you will probably want to use a good quality, fairly stiff white paper instead.
- Arrange the specimen on the paper and place dabs of glue in several places to hold it down securely.
- Make a clean copy of the identification card and attach it to the paper in the lower right-hand corner.
- Put the mounted plant in the freezer for a few days to kill any insects.
- As an added precaution, you can put the specimen in a clear plastic bag and put that into an opaque envelope. Sprinkle mothballs in the storage area to discourage pests. (Caution: Mothballs are poisonous. Handle with care and wash your hands afterward.)
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More About This Resource...
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In this Biodiversity Counts activity, students learn how to preserve their plant pressings. The online page includes:
- Notes about how mount dried plants, including details about the types of paper to use, and how to label specimens.
- Instructions for freezing mounted plants to kill any insects and how to use mothballs to discourage destructive pests.
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Completion Time
Less than 1 period
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Topic
Biology -
Subtopic
Tools and Methods -
Subtopic
National Science Education Standards
Grades 5-8:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:
Grades 9-12:
• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:
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Learning Standard
National Science Education Standards
Grades 5-8:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:
Grades 9-12:
• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:
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