University of West Alabama Herbarium

03/22/2026

This week, the UWA Herbarium had the pleasure of hosting Christoph Ruby from the Botanical Garden in Hof, Germany. Currently touring the southeastern U.S., Christoph is studying Trillium species, while also exploring a wide range of other native plants. After spending time studying the collection, we headed out to see these species in the wild. We are excited to be part of his journey!

10/20/2025

𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐖𝐀 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦! 🌿
This August, the 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦 (𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐅) officially joined the University of West Alabama Herbarium (UWAL) collection! The specimens are currently being frozen, imaged, and filed so they can soon be made available for research and education. Originally founded in the 1950s by renowned lichenologist 𝐃𝐫. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐜𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡, the SAMF collection was expertly curated for decades by 𝐃𝐫. 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭—a leading botanist and historian known for his work on the Cahaba lily, 𝘏𝘺𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘢, and Alabama botanical history. Among the collection's many treasures are:
🪻 the world’s most complete Cahaba Lily (𝘏𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢) collection
🌱an exceptional representation of 𝘏𝘺𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘢 species across the Americas
🍃💧 a diverse sampling of duckweeds (LEMNACEAE) from the southeastern U.S.
🍄and a valuable series of lichen specimens from Dr. McCullough’s early work.

We’re proud to carry this important collection legacy forward as we combine the two collections at the UWA Herbarium!

07/09/2024

A new publication out of the University of West Alabama Herbarium in print today. Thirteen new taxa are attributed to Alabama with four additional collections of taxa mentioned for historic significance. Keener, B.R., J.K. England, R. Sewell, B. Finch, G. Todia, W.M. Knapp, J.R. Burkhalter, K. Lybarger, & B. Finzel. 2024. Noteworthy collections from the Alabama flora (U.S.A.). J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 193-204. https://journals.brit.org/jbrit/article/view/1348/1359

03/19/2024

Through the years the UWAL Herbarium has grown through in-house collections and the power of exchange. This is one specimen of many we have sent to our friends at University of South Carolina Herbarium and in return they have sent many to us. No botanist can be every where and see all plants. But through an exchange program, taxa can be added to the herbarium which, in turn, greatly increases the scientific value of the collection. UWAL has exchanged specimens with many institutions which has provided aquistions from all 50 states and about dozen other countries.

This specimen of Clematis terniflora caught the eye of one of our volunteers. This species commonly called Autumn Clematis is non-native to SC and can be somewhat invasive. It looks very similar to our native Virgin's-bower Clematis virginiana which is not nearly as prolific when flowering. Note the elegant positioning of the specimen on the sheet. Achieving a balance between the specimen, its label, fragment envelope and other stamps, etc. is no easy task.

07/03/2023

UWA Herbarium curator Dr. Brian Keener was interviewed for the popular plant podcast, In Defense of Plants. Episode 428: Bama Flora

In Defense of Plants' Matt Candeias talks with Botanist Dr. Brian Keener about Alabama's floristic diversity.

05/23/2023

Huge Alabama Botanical News from Baldwin County!

Background: In 2021, UWA Herbarium curator Brian Keener and environmental consultant Gena Todia described and named a new species of Wild Ginger (Hexastylis rollinsiae) from cultivation in the Todia garden at her home. She originally rescued the plant from development but the exact location was lost to time. Several unsuccessful searches around the Enterprise area in Coffee County (the best location lead) were conducted by the authors and members of the Alabama Plant Conservation Alliance organized by Patrick Thompson (of the Donald E. Davis Arboretum at Auburn University). It was feared the species was extinct in the wild and would only be known from cultivation.

The story turned much happier last Friday (May 19th) when Gena rediscovered Rollins’ Ginger in Baldwin County! Thus far, fewer than 100 indviduals have been found all in close proximity to each other but in a precarious location. While still very much imperiled, thankfully we now have enough plants to begin planning conservation efforts. We also have a much better idea where to conduct addtional searches for more populations. The Alabama Plant Conservation Alliance (APCA) will be leading those efforts.
Alabama Plant Atlas

Read the orginal publication here: https://journals.brit.org/jbrit/article/view/1151/1132

02/15/2023

01/29/2022

Another story about the newly described Hexastylis rollinsiae was just published at Southern Science.

Unconventional plant discovery points to biodiversity right under our noses

12/12/2021

Alabama, says Dr. Brian Keener, is the most biologically diverse state east of the Mississippi River. Home to large-scale forests, Appalachian foothills, coastal plains and miles of waterways, it’s also a treasure trove for researchers searching for novel species of plants.

Aided by the connectivity of social media, Keener, a professor of biology at the University of West Alabama, has teamed with a south Alabama colleague to discover a new species of Hexastylis, a perennial evergreen that features a variety of bloom shapes and colors often obscured by mottled leaves.

Keener and his colleague described and named the new species Hexastylis rollinsiae. The Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas published its paper on the discovery in earlier this month.

Click here to read more about Dr. Keener's discovery: https://www.uwa.edu/news/biology/Briankeener2021

07/27/2021

Finzel's Ginger revisited. The TVA news release about the discovery and naming of the new Hexastylis species endemic to Alabama. The holotype of the species is curated at the UWA Herbarium.

Walking in the deep woods of Alabama, Brian Finzel was planning to capture photos of what he thought was a common plant species…until he examined an unusual bloom in a patch of Hexastylis, commonly known as wild ginger.