Curator: Dr. Michele D. Piercey-Normore
Volunteer: Charles Burchill

History

The cryptogamic division of WIN currently contains lichens and bryophytes. In the year 2000 I was hired as the lichenologist/bryologist and the collection has been increasing by almost 1000 specimens per year with a primary focus on lichens and secondarily on bryophytes. Major contributions to the cryptogam collection included 1600 specimens from Mariette Cole and numerous small contributions from a variety of people doing professional and amateur collecting throughout Manitoba and other places in North America. It is anticipated that green algae will also become a major part of the collection in the near future. An herbarium that has good storage conditions, continual maintenance, and concise taxonomic identifications will provide high quality service for centuries because the morphological, chemical, and molecular features of the specimens will be preserved. This service is provided to researchers, professionals, amateurs, and the general public. The herbarium is also important in teaching and many of the collections are used in various courses. Today the cryptogamic herbarium consists of 7000 lichens and 1500 bryophytes and continues to grow.

Who uses the collection?

What are cryptogams?

The word “cryptogam” is an older term from Greek, kryptos and gamia, referring to the cryptic nature of the gametes in several types of organisms. In many, but not all cryptogams, the gametes are hidden within gametangia that are sometimes also hidden within organismal tissue of the parent organism. Generally “cryptogam” refers to organisms that do not produce flowers and seeds but, rather, reproduce by spores. This commonly includes organisms such as ferns and their allies, bryophytes, algae and their allies, and fungi and their allies.

Ferns and their allies are kept in the vascular plant division of WIN. Bryophytes, including mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, are stored in the cryptogamic division. Lichens are associations between fungi and photosynthetic partners and are named after the fungal partner. The lichen association is thought of as a mode of nutrient acquisition by the fungus. Consequently lichens are included in the fungal kingdom. Photosynthetic partners in the lichen association may include green algae and/or cyanobacteria. Hence, some cyanobacteria are also included in the cryptogamic division of WIN. It is anticipated that algae and non-lichenized fungi will also become part of the cryptogamic division of WIN in the future.

Why is it important to collect cryptogams?

Herbaria contain archival material that retain and provide information in their DNA, chemistry, morphology, accumulated chemicals and particles, and in the information written on the packets, about the conditions of the environment at the time they were collected. They provide a highly informative window to the past that can be compared with the present in an effort to predict possible future changes. We can use this information to prevent or alleviate potential catastrophies or to encourage positive changes in the environment. Rare and endangered species such as those designated by COSEWIC can be monitored and strategies for their protection can be developed.

“DNA Bank” - Today’s research techniques are escalating with a vast array of molecular markers that can be used in a diversity of studies such as phylogenetic, population genetic, and biogeographic research. Molecules of DNA are used to mark specific populations or species in order to test hypotheses on population structure and dispersal, evolutionary histories and taxonomic identification, and biogeographic issues regarding historical movement of land masses or glaciation.  Many herbaria are developing storage methods that will help to preserve high quality DNA for long periods of time.

“Chemical Bank” – Studies in plant natural products and ethnobotany have gained popularity in recent years. These studies are based on the presence and activity of secondary metabolites. Lichens are rich in secondary metabolites containing hundreds of compounds unique to lichen fungi. Non-lichenized fungi also produce a diversity of secondary metabolites such as penicillin and erythromycin, antibiotics that are used every day. If herbarium storage conditions are properly maintained lichen secondary metabolites remain on or within the lichen thallus, sometimes for centuries, providing a valuable source of chemicals and information for researchers and teachers.

Indicator organisms – Cryptogams like lichens and bryophytes are highly efficient at absorbing moisture and nutrients over their entire surface because they have no barrier between living tissue and the atmosphere. If pollutants are present in the atmospheric moisture they will also be absorbed into the cryptogam.  Therefore, cryptogams are highly efficient at accumulating and retaining pollutants, minerals, and heavy metals. Analysis of cryptogamic herbarium material may provide information on location of valuable ores for geological prospecting. Herbarium material may be used to examine levels of pollutants and rate of movement in the environment to monitor for past and present environmental changes.

Proper and concise taxonomic identification of species is an essential function of herbaria and it was the original purpose for making collections, classifying them, and keeping them meticulously organized. Without proper and concise identification the storage house of morphological, chemical and DNA characters becomes worthless. Improper identification also reduces the effectiveness of the collection for teaching. Active collections and concise taxonomic identifications are absolutely essential for modern-day research and teaching oriented herbaria. Species lists for Manitoba are in progress.