Biological Science: Research Developments and Innovations Vol. 5

Herbaria are invaluable repositories of plant diversity, preserving authenticated voucher specimens that serve as fundamental resources for taxonomy, systematics, floristics, biodiversity conservation and historical ecological research. Historical herbarium collections provide permanent records of species occurrence and continue to support modern studies in taxonomy, nomenclature, biodiversity informatics and conservation planning. Among the distinguished botanical collections preserved in India are those made by Dr. E. K. Janaki Ammal (1897–1984), an eminent botanist and cytogeneticist whose pioneering contributions to plant cytogenetics, economic botany and botanical exploration have had a lasting impact on Indian plant sciences. The present study documents and authenticates the herbarium specimens collected by Dr. Janaki Ammal that are preserved at the Botanical Survey of India, Central Regional Centre Herbarium (BSA), Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh, India.

All herbarium specimens attributed to Dr. Janaki Ammal were critically examined, and label information, including the accepted scientific name, family, herbarium accession number, collection date and collector's field number, was compiled and verified. Scientific names were updated using Plants of the World Online (POWO) and World Flora Online (WFO), while the family classification for angiosperms follows the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group IV (APG IV) system. The authenticated collection comprises 558 herbarium accessions, representing 272 taxa, 195 genera and 69 vascular plant families. The collection is taxonomically diverse, with the greatest representation from families such as Poaceae, Verbenaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae and Moraceae, reflecting the extensive botanical interests and field explorations of Dr. Janaki Ammal during the 1950s–1970s.

The present catalogue provides a verified inventory of a historically significant herbarium collection and contributes to the documentation and preservation of India's botanical heritage. The authenticated dataset enhances the accessibility of these collections for taxonomic revision, floristic investigations, biodiversity assessment, herbarium digitisation and biodiversity informatics. Furthermore, this study preserves the scientific legacy of Dr. E. K. Janaki Ammal by highlighting the enduring value of historical herbarium collections as indispensable resources for contemporary botanical research and long-term biodiversity conservation.