Range Science Herbarium (NMCR)

The Range Science Herbarium at New Mexico State University is administered through the Department of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, and is separate from the larger Biology Herbarium (NMC) in the College of Arts and Sciences. The Range Science Herbarium houses about 25,000 specimens, about half of them grasses, emphasizing the flora of New Mexico. The collection is especially rich in Aristida and Bothriochloa, as well as being the voucher depository for several floristic and systematic studies of the past several years.

The holdings of the herbarium are composed mostly of collections by Kelly W. Allred, curator since 1979, and associated graduate students. In addition, a significant number were contributed by K.W. Parker and J.O. Bridges in the 1930s and 1940s. Earlier collections by the staff of the University, particularly E.O. Wooton and P.C. Standley, are found in the Biology Herbarium (NMC).

The Range Science Herbarium is located in Rm. 340 Knox Hall on the campus of New Mexico State University, at the corner of Espina and Frenger Streets. It is open generally during school hours (8am to 5 pm) on school days. The public is welcome to visit, but should make prior arrangements to use the facility.

Teaching-Related Activities:In addition to its courses in agriculture, the Department of Animal & Range Sciences offers some botanically-related courses, supported by the staff and collections of the herbarium. Courses on Range Grasses (RgSc 307) and Range Plants (RgSc 316) are taught every semester; other classes, such as Botanical Latin & Nomenclature and Advanced Grass Systematics, are offered only periodically. The herbarium staff also trains the Range Plant Identification Team, which competes in an annual plant identification contest sponsored by the Society for Range Management at its annual meeting.

Extension-Related Activities: Because the herbarium is affiliated with the New Mexico State Cooperative Extension Service, some of our activities involve county agents, Extension specialists, and the general populace, such as providing routine plant identifications for the citizens of the state. The herbarium staff is also involved in various triaining programs for county agents and ranchers.

Contact Information

Curator: Kelly W. Allred
Knox Hall Room 340 (Corner of Knox and Espina)
Department of Animal & Range Sciences, Rm 202, Knox Hall
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003
Phone: 575-646-1042
Fax: 575-646-5441
Email: kallred@nmsu.edu