Allan Herbarium preserves New Zealand’s plant heritage
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Dr. Ines Schönberger manages over 800,000 plant specimens at the Allan Herbarium in Lincoln, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Schönberger, originally from Germany, arrived in New Zealand on a scholarship after meeting her husband while working at a herbarium in Regensburg. She transitioned to plant study after deciding against a career in veterinary medicine, finding plant work more appealing.
The Allan Herbarium, established in 1928 and relocated to Lincoln in the late 1950s, relies on volunteers to help preserve and organize plant samples received from throughout New Zealand. The herbarium’s collection includes specimens gathered by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander during Captain James Cook’s 1770 voyage to New Zealand, offering a historical record of the country’s flora.
The herbarium takes precautions with older specimens, as many were historically treated with mercuric chloride to prevent insect damage and are now clearly marked. The collection is increasingly valuable because climate change is causing shifts in plant distribution, allowing researchers to study changes over time.
Schönberger expressed pride in New Zealand’s growing capacity to preserve its own natural history, noting that while Germany has a strong tradition in plant taxonomy, New Zealand is now capable of excellent work in this field.
