Harvard University Herbaria

[2] HUH hosts the Gray Herbarium Index (GCI) as well as an extensive specimen, botanist, and publications database.

It was originally called the Museum of Vegetable Products and was predominantly focused on an interdisciplinary study of useful plants (i.e. economic botany and horticulture).

The nucleus of materials for this museum was donated by Sir William Hooker, the Director of the Royal Botanic Garden.

Three successive directors substantially enlarged the collections of economic products, medicinal plants, artifacts, archeological materials, pollen, and photographs.

Faculty and students continue to add significantly to the extensive paleobotanical collections, particularly Precambrian material containing early life forms.