Preserving Flora Samples in the field

[Man of Tanith]

Next year one of my (many) plans is to improve my plant ID.
I would like to preserve examples of the plants in a notebook to act as my own ID book and also i think it would be an interesting book for future perusal.
I am aware of the flower pressing method but that is quite a weighty and slow technique which is limited to one example at a time.
Is there anything else i can use to preserve specimins?
Preferably easy to do when out and about,lightweight and the simpler the better?

 

[Goatboy]

I know it may sound obvious but a wee digital camera would be handy. Most allow fairly good macro shots for detail and a notepad to take down details too. Some also have GPS location so as to note the location. These can then be uploaded and layered onto various mapping softwares. I've built up a bushcraft vegetation map where I can bring up plants by type on the 'puter.
Don't know how good your drawing skills are? I often do little sketches of things, allows me to pick up on details and as I've consciously looked at it, it tends to stick in my memory.
When I studied horticulture before going into forestry we had to learn about 50 to 80 plants a week. I did a sketch book to.help me. Also all the different types of propagation I did detailed drawings of and it again stuck in my head.
Also used mnemonics and little stories to make things stick. Like the Latin for stinging nettles is Urtica diotica (excuse the spelling) so as nettles hurt when you touch them they 'URT your hand. Or forget-me-nots, you'd say "what's that?" "It's a forget-me-not!" "My so it is!" (the Latin is Myosotis). You get the idea?
Good luck with the ID's.
C.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Man of Tanith]

My drawin skills are seriously not upto the task Colin.
I can do the macro shots with the digital camera but i have in mind a wee journal with "live" examples

 

[Stew]

At a moot I saw Mors use a sheet of A4 paper and a wide roll of sellotape. Preserved on the front then could breath through the back to dry.

 

[StJon]

It was common to take the specimen home for pressing, smarties tube, up to pringles tube can protect till you get it home.

 

[nephilim]

I've melted wax, dipped the flower in and out and let it dry.

Preserved it nicely. Kept a geranium for around 4 years before my eldest decided to destroy it.

 

[Stew]

I've melted wax, dipped the flower in and out and let it dry.

Preserved it nicely. Kept a geranium for around 4 years before my eldest decided to destroy it.

bit tricky to do when wanderin though.

 

[nephilim]

That's true. Haha. Normally done when at home.

 

[Brynglas]

I keep a 'mushroom book' which is a notebook,that I record my finds, my sketching isn't very good but I do try and record particular details that may assist in ID when I get home. I'll supplement this with photos and the location etc. Occasionally i'll dry mushrooms for storage but I've only ever really pressed plants to keep them for any length of time, I've never been particularly good at keepling samples organised though. Imdo have quite a good book of bark rubbings of different species of trees that I did some years back.

 

[Man of Tanith]

Bark rubbings. Hadnt thought of that as an idea. Nice one ill add that in too
The selloptape idea sounds good too

 

[Robson Valley]

You need to make up a plant press. They hold 30+ specimens at a time. Yes, it appears tedious. Are you in this for the short or the long haul?
Open flowers can be carefully dredges in a 1:1 mix of borax and sugar to dehydrate and hold their form.
Sloppy botanical collection isn't of much value, even to yourself.

 

[Herbalist1]

The important thing is to get your samples home in good condition. The old botanists used a vasculum - basically a tin container containing damp sphagnum moss but you could just as easily use a plastic lunch box again filled with damp sphagnum or even damp newspaper will work.
Once home pressing is easy - you don't even need a press - though they are easy to make - a pile of heavy books works well. Or you can use hot dry sand to quickly dry specimens - though you do lose some of the colour this way. Heat fine sand in an old pan. Pour some into a metal dish, arrange specimen, cover with more hot sand. The benefit of this method is it is quick and can deal with more fleshy specimens that are difficult to press, even fungi.
Saying that, and having done my fair share of preserving specimens in the past, these days I'd go with the digital camera. You can visit the same plant over time and record it throughout its growing cycle plus you can record rare or protected species that you can't pick.