Xylarium
A xylarium, xylotheque, and xylothek are all words to describe a collection of wood (the Greek word for “wood” is xylon). In trees, the secondary xylem, the tissue that transports water from the roots to the stems and leaves, and secondary phloem, the food transporter tissue, create tissue patterns unique to each species. Looking back in time, humans have had an intimate relationship with wood […]
Rows (and Rose) of Wood!
This summer the BRIT Herbarium began investigating and curating a unique collection of specimens comprised mostly from the Houston Public Museum (HPM) (now known as the Houston Museum of Natural History) collection acquired in 2001. In addition to the 10,000 sheets of herbarium specimens, HPM donated its microscope slides, glass photographic slides, and a wood collection – or xylarium. […]