herbariorum

Herbariorum is the Latin genitive plural form of herbarium, meaning “of herbariums.” In botanical writing, this form appears in titles and phrases derived from Latin, where it indicates possession or association with multiple herbarium collections.

The most widely known use of the term in scholarly literature is in the title Index Herbariorum, a foundational reference work that catalogs public herbaria around the world and lists the staff, collections, and contact information for each institution. The index provides standardized references and helps researchers locate physical collections, reference herbaria in citations, and understand the scope of holdings at different institutions. It also contributes to the assignment of formal codes used to identify herbaria in botanical records.

Historically, Index Herbariorum has undergone several editions and updates since its inception in the 20th century, reflecting changes in curatorial staff, holdings, and institutional affiliations. The work has been produced and maintained by major botanical libraries and institutions and has increasingly incorporated digital formats to improve accessibility for a global community of researchers, curators, and students.

In broader usage, herbariorum appears in various Latin-named works and descriptions that follow traditional scholarly conventions in taxonomy and biogeography, illustrating the long-standing influence of Latin in scientific nomenclature and bibliographic practice.

See also: herbarium, herbaria, botanical nomenclature, taxonomic literature.