County Records:

     All plant records in the United States are kept by county level.  When a plant is discovered in a county where it has not been previously known, it is called a county record.  Kartesz's website is a central location where one can go to see the occurrence and nativity status of a plant.  It shows a map of North America that indicates in which county each plant may be found.  He obtains this information from many different sources, especially from herbaria throughout the country.

     Herbaria store plant specimens collected by professionals, students, and lay-persons.  The specimens are kept in cabinets arranged by species and can be accessed for research just by asking the curator.  Many herbaria also make collection data and digital images of specimens available online.  Here in the southwestern U.S., the Southwestern Environmental Information Network (SEINet Portal Network at swbiodiversity.org) serves as the best source for online herbaria data.  

     Here in Durango, we are fortunate to have access to the largest herbarium in western Colorado.  The Fort Lewis College herbarium houses over 20,000 specimens.  By using this collection, I was able to verify the identities of many of the plants I am studying and determine if they had been found by others within the county.

     You and I are also sources from which Kartesz receives information on the location of plants. With each of my plants, I referred to Kartesz’s website to see if it had been recorded as present in La Plata County.  When it was not present, I checked SEInet then emailed Kartesz a picture and my identification of the plant.  If he accepted it as a new recording for our county, I indicated it as a county record.  With some of my county records, I have been able to donate a specimen to the Fort Lewis College herbarium so others can see their occurrence.  

     Together we can be agents of change. According to Kartesz, "Tracking new county records is essential for establishing the rate-of-spread of certain introduced or exotic species.  Moreover, knowing where plants exist is useful when plotting ranges of these species.  Knowing where existing populations of noxious plants occur helps spray teams and others focus their efforts in controlling or eradicating these plants.  Knowledge of new county records is also invaluable for understanding plant rarity.  New county locations of rare plants help ensure continued protection for these species and their habitats."  

     I hope this book encourages your awareness so that you too can discover more plants waiting to be found!