“Collecting plants for scientific research is as important today as it ever was in the past. Herbaria – where pressed plants and their associated data are stored – are rich repositories of biodiversity and history. Linda Lipsen is perfectly positioned to write about plant collecting and its significance in phytogeography, plant taxonomy, conservation and human history. As a former herbarium technician and lifelong plant collector myself, I am thrilled to see this book. It tells you everything you need to know in order to contribute to this important, educational and enjoyable activity.”

—Nancy J. Turner, author and editor of over 30 books including Plants of Haida Gwaii; Saanich Ethnobotany, Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples; and Ancient Pathways, Ancestral Knowledge. Nancy Turner is a Fellow of the Linnean Society, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Member of Order of Canada, and an inductee of the Order of British Columbia

“A well-dried and -pressed plant is a thing of beauty that anyone can appreciate. But even more, such a specimen yields vital information about the Earth’s vegetation past and present, and can help us understand how to protect plant life—and thus all life—for the future. This tells you everything you need to know to create your own aesthetically pleasing and scientifically informative plant specimens. It is written in a friendly, conversational manner and emphasizes the land stewardship and habitat conservation considerations that inform ethical plant collecting. Not only newcomers to plant collecting but also experienced plant scientists and collections managers should have a copy of this book for their own reference, and to share with others.”

—Dr. Barbara M. Thiers, director emerita and honorary curator, William and Lynda Steere Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden; past president, American Society of Plant Taxonomists and Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections; and research adjunct, Denver Botanic Garden

“Pressed Plants introduces the reader to the art and science of pressing and drying plants with simple, direct text accompanied by clear, elegant illustrations. This book will be of interest to everyone from the novice plant-presser to experienced botanists. Ms. Lipsen's love for the topic is always evident, and will inspire enthusiasm in readers, including young readers. Pressed Plants should be on the bookshelf of everyone interested in Earth's fabulous flora.”

—Andy MacKinnon, author of seven books including Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast and Mushrooms of British Columbia

“This is a wonderful and timely guide to making plant specimens and explaining why they matter. Linda’s practical and thorough treatment of plant collecting encourages a new generation of botanists and enthusiasts to carry on the tradition of making specimens that further our understanding of the diversity and distribution of the plants around us.”

—David Giblin, collections manager and research botanist, University of Washington Herbarium, Burke Museum

“This enthusiastic, approachable and helpful book will get you well on your way to a lifetime of appreciating and collecting plants. Packed full of detailed instructions and tips, as well as beautiful and useful illustrations, this guide can be appreciated by both beginners and seasoned plant collectors! The author covers everything you need to know to start your very own scientific plant collection, in cheerful language and a in portable format that you can carry with you on your plant-hunting adventures.”

—Amanda M. Savoie, research scientist and botany director, Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration, Canadian Museum of Nature

“Well-collected specimens are the basis for proper scientific knowledge of plants, but there has recently been a decline in training in this fundamental skill. Linda Lipsen and Derek Tan have now produced a much-needed guide that will serve as a great introduction for botanical newcomers and professionals alike.”

—Quentin Cronk, director, Beaty Biodiversity Museum past director, UBC Botanical Garden and professor, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia

Why I wrote the book

I have been pressing plants for crafts and science for the past 30 years and it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to make a good plant pressing. I have also cared for herbarium collections for nearly 20 years and have experienced first-hand the power a specimen can have on our understanding of the world's plant biodiversity. I want to share this experience with others, and after teaching many plant pressing workshops and plant collection activities, I find nothing more gratifying than turning someone on to collecting and pressing plants. I really want to make Pressed Plants accessible to anyone as a hobby, yet also add enough detail so you too can make or teach this long tradition of documenting our Earth’s plant diversity. You will learn how to prepare before you head out to collect, including responsible and ethical collecting and cultural considerations, -Respect Where You Collect! You will read about collecting plants for science and what kinds of plants to collect. You will learn the natural history techniques for pressing and drying a plant, mounting a specimen, and how to organize and protect your plant collection for centuries. This book will start you on your way to learning these important techniques for documenting our world's plant diversity and distributions by pressing plants.

— Linda P.J. Lipsen