XVI International Botanical Congess

There is a growing perception by many curators of herbaria, aware of phylogenetic nomenclature and the proposed PhyloCode, that a change in classification systems will inevitably result in confusion and disarray in herbaria. A rank-free classification evokes a degree of fear, given that all herbaria are organized utilizing ranks (families, genera, species). Herbarium curation entails two important aspects: 1) the long-term care and maintenance of collections, and 2) the development of an efficient deposit, storage and retrieval system for specimens. There is a potential for change in the organization of a collection with the adoption of a new classification, however, a change in classification system does not force any change in collection organization. Managers are free to arrange collections using any method that facilitates deposit, storage and retrieval. The relation between any classification and the physical location of a specimen can be easily tracked, using a relational database. Like Y2K, the fear of phylogenetic nomenclature is likely greater than its actual impact on herbarium management.