The University of the Philippines College Baguio Herbarium

On 21 February 2000, the Discipline of Biology, University of the Philippines College Baguio opened its Herbarium to the public. It is the first local herbarium to be established in the entire Cordillera region of Luzon. The foundation was laid by collections made by me and other faculty members in the Busol Watershed as vouchers for a biodiversity study of that area (Austria et al., 1995). Since then the holdings increased by gatherings made by local students, donations from Dr. L.L. Co, and PUH to c. 2,000 specimens. These cover all major plant groups: fungi, bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. The algae, both freshwater and marine, are curated by another Department at Biology Discipline. Obviously the angiosperms are best represented, with c. 1,500 specimens, mainly from the Cordillera region, and also some from the lowlands. Localities of note are: Tabaan Norte, Tabaan Sur, Sablan & Asin of the Tuba municipality, the Busol Watershed, Baguio City and La Trinidad municipality, Bokod municipality, the Mt Pulog and Mt Data National Parks, Paoay & Sayangan, Atok municipality, Halsema & Marcos highways, Mt Sto. Tomas, Ambuklao, Kennon Road, Pangasinan, and La Union.