The Herbarium

 
Part of the specimen storage bays in the seed plants collection section.  
(Photo: SE Chuah)
The University of Malaya herbarium at Rimba Ilmu is Malaysia's largest university collection containing 63,000 accessions. It was established in 1960 and is registered with the International Association for Plant Taxonomy, using the acronym KLU. The emphasis is on Malaysia's native flora, although a good selection of representatives of temperate flora has also been assembled through exchange. The Herbarium moved into its present premises at the Rimba Ilmu in 2000. 


Main Herbarium (Seed Plants Collection) 
Curator: Mr Yong Kien Thai  
 
Important collections include Pandanaceae, Rutaceae, Araliaceae, Bambusoideae, the flora of the Danum Valley (Sabah) and Ulu Kali (Peninsular Malaysia), and the Malayan and Sulawesi limestone flora. Current research into systematics and taxonomy based at the University of Malaya includes revisions and relationships in Malesian Rubiaceae (Rothmannia, Porterandia, Gardenia),  Gentianaceae (Fagraea), Araliaceae (Arthrophyllum), Zingiberaceae and Bambusoideae.  

 

Part of the front display in the main herbarium. 
(Photo: Agnes Loh)
 
Herb-seedpl.jpg (34614 bytes)
 
 
 

Part of the main (seed plants) section of the Herbarium. 
(Photo: Prof. Haji Mohamed) 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Some of the procedures in the Herbarium, such as specimen mounting, are volunteer-assisted. Here, a volunteer learns the finer points of botanical specimen display, preservation and stitching, in order to prepare specimens that can be maximally utilized for research. 
  (Photo: KM Wong)
(Click on pictures below to view larger detailed images).
Click to view complete plant Click to view complete plant
Rhodoleia championii 
(Hamamelidaceae) 
(Botanical plate by Zainal Mustaffa)		 Exbucklandia populnea 
(Hamamelidaceae) 
(Botanical plate by Zainal Mustaffa)
 


Bryophyte Herbarium 
Curator: Mr.Yong Kien Thai

The Bryophyte Collection numbers about 10,000 accessions, principally of Malaysian (including Bornean) mosses and liverworts. A significant number of the Peninsular Malaysian collections are by Dr. Monte Manuel and Prof. Haji Mohamed.
 
bryum-argenteum.jpg (23604 bytes)
Bryum argenteum from Genting Highlands.  
(Photo: Prof. Haji Mohamed)
 


Seaweeds and Seagrasses Herbarium 
Curator: Professor Dr. Phang Siew Moi  
 
Halymenia.jpg (31637 bytes)
Halymenia durvillae, a seaweed of the division of red algae (Rhodophyta) found in Malaysian waters, contains bioactive compounds of pharmaceutical interest. 
(Photo: Melor Ismail)
 
 
This collection, of about 4,500 accessions, includes a good diversity of Malaysian seagrasses and seaweeds, mainly collected by Prof. S.M. Phang and Prof. Michio Masuda of Hokkaido University. The Seaweeds component includes the Cyanophyta, Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta divisions of marine algae.