Herbarium Laboratory
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Herbarium
A herbarium is a collection of dried plant specimens arranged in a systematic way. It provides a convenient method for examining many different types of plants or multiple samples of a specific species. The herbarium serves as a valuable and permanent record of plant life. Its primary role is to supply numerous plant sample specimens that exist within a specific geographical area, which may be a region or a country, defined by political boundaries or geographic regions. These specimens largely represent the wild plants found within the political and geographic boundaries.
The herbarium also represents an important research unit within the Department of Botany and Microbiology. It focuses on scientific research on wild plants in Egypt and aids in understanding mechanisms for preserving plant biodiversity and the sustainable use of vegetation cover in Egypt. Additionally, the herbarium provides a free scientific identification service for plant specimens to researchers, students, and the general public.
About the Herbarium
The Herbarium of the Department of Botany and Microbiology at the Faculty of Science, Helwan University, was established in 1997 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Lotfi Mohsen Hassan in the old faculty building. Later, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Gamal Eldin Fahmy (may he rest in peace) developed the herbarium at its current location through a collaboration with the Biological Archaeology Institute in San Francisco. The institute contributed to the establishment of the herbarium’s current premises, the construction of a metal wall, and the purchase of cabinets for specimen storage in 2006.
This herbarium is registered among the recognized Egyptian herbaria at the national level. It houses approximately 10,000 mounted and systematically arranged plant specimens following Engler's 1887 classification system. The herbarium also maintains a reference record of seeds and fruits from various plant species, in addition to a record of phytoliths (plant silica particles) from the Eastern Desert and the Mediterranean coastal region.
The herbarium includes a scientific library containing numerous books on taxonomy and flora, along with some donated volumes from the personal libraries of faculty members in the Department of Botany and Microbiology.
Research Contributions of the Herbarium
The project on the use of biotechnology for propagating endangered plants in Sinai, Egypt (2009–2012).
The development project of the Faculty of Science Herbarium, Helwan University, in cooperation with the Biological Archaeology Institute, San Francisco (2006).
Research Team Members of the Herbarium
The herbarium team in the Department of Botany and Microbiology combines professors and assistant professors specializing in Egyptian flora, taxonomy, and plant ecology, alongside young researchers:
Prof. Dr. Lotfi Mohsen Hassan (Professor of Plant Ecology and Flora)
Prof. Dr. Ahmed Gamal Eldin Fahmy (Professor of Taxonomy) — may he rest in peace
Assist. Prof. Dr. Tarek Mohamed Jalal (Assistant Professor of Plant Ecology)
Assist. Prof. Dr. Emad Abdelmonem Farhat (Assistant Professor of Plant Ecology)
Abdellatif Abdelsalam Elshafie (Master’s in Floral Taxonomy)
Mayada Mahdi Kilani (Teaching Assistant in the Department)
