Notes and Updates:

August 2012 Lichen Exchange List - CLICK HERE

All requests must be emailed to Larry St. Clair (larry_stclair@byu.edu) before August 31st, 2012. In your email, please include a list of the specimens from the Exchange List you would like to receive. Be careful to specifically identify the specimens you are interested in - particularly when there are multiple listings for a given species. Also, in your email request, please include your current mailing address. To review your exchange balance, please email LauraDawn Leavitt  (lauradawnleavitt@yahoo.com) and she will quickly reply with your information as per our current records. If there is a discrepancy between your exchange record and our information, please provide the details from your record to LauraDawn and we will adjust our records to match yours.  Please refer to Scott Bates' Evansia article for general information about the lichen exchange; pay particular attention to paragraphs 2 and 3 for details. As much as possible we would like to handle the semi-annual exchange electronically - by email. You can now access the current list of exchange specimens HERE. We have now completely inventoried the exchange collection and updated the list.  Note: If for any reason an exchange member is unable to access the exchange list online or communicate by email, please let us know and we will communicate with those individuals by regular mail. We are anxious to continue rendering excellent service to ABLS and the members of the Lichen Exchange.

General Information:

Purpose: To foster knowledge in lichen identification, the American Bryological and Lichenological Society has supported an exchange program for many years. Anyone interested in lichens is welcome to participate (societal membership is not required, although certainly encouraged).

Location: The exchange is currently based at Brigham Young University under the direction of Larry St. Clair. All correspondence should be directed to his attention at:

BYU Herbarium of Nonvascular Cryptogams
Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum
290 MLBM
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah 84602
Tel. (801) 422-6211 or (801) 422-6355
Fax: (801) 422-0093
Email: larry_stclair@byu.edu or lauradawnleavitt@yahoo.com

Frequency: In general, exchanges are planned for twice a year. Distributions are anticipated in December-January and July-August. Specimen submissions are accepted year round.

Procedures: Individuals submitting material for exchange are requested to include a variety of species and not to overly emphasize common ones. Each species should ideally include 5-15 duplicates, although smaller sets of duplicates will be accepted. Each packet submitted is worth one in exchange. Throughout the year, members of the exchange will send their specimens to BYU. Biannually (late spring and fall), exchange members will receive an email indicating the current "exchange list" has been posted to this website. Members are invited to submit requests by email to Larry St. Clair (larry_stclair@byu.edu). As we receive email requests, we will respond with an email confirmation. Requests will be filled in the order they are received and the selected specimens will be promptly mailed to the exchange member.

We will continue to fill members' orders even if their balance is negative, within reason. One specimen from each collection submitted will be retained by the Brigham Young University Herbarium of Nonvascular cryptogams as consideration for coordinating the exchange service.

The Specimens: All specimens must be fully identified (partially identified or unidentified material will be discarded). It is recommended that each specimen's packet be ca. 4x6 (e.g. 10 x 15 cm) and that the specimen be large enough to fill most of the packet. Labels should be on 100% rag paper and should not be glued to the packets (because styles of herbarium packets vary widely). The labels should include information on location (major and local political units), longitude and latitude, substrate, habitat, collector and his/her collection number, date of collection, and the determiner (see Brodo et al. 2001, "Collecting and Studying Lichens page 97 for an example). Large specimens may require pressing to prevent fragmentation and rock and bark fragments should be mounted on a card.

"ABLS Lichen Exchange: History and Procedure:" In volume 23(2) of Evansia (published in 2006) Scott Bates detailed the history and procedures associated with the ABLS Lichen Exchange. Please take a moment to read Scott's article.
Note: The yellow highlighted sections represent information regarding location of the "Exchange" and exchange procedures that no longer apply. Click Here to view Scott's article.

Please Contact Larry St. Clair (larry_stclair@byu.edu) for more information about the ABLS Exchange.