About Herbarium - An Introduction
The Janaki Ammal Herbarium in the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu (Formerly RRL ,Jammu), is a national referral facility, taken over in bequest from the Drug Research Laboratory, Jammu. The original collection comprises of a rich collection from all over India by col. Sir R. N. Chopra, Shri R. L. Bhadwar and Dr. S. L. Nayar, under a scheme financed by the Indian Council of Medical Research.
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These collections include specimens dated even prior to 1935 some of them even dating back to 19th Century. The herbarium was further enriched through the collections made by Dr. L. D. Kapur, Dr. S.N. Sobti and Dr. B. K. Abrol who were part of Botanical Sciences from time to time. These collections represent mostly to the areas of Jammu and Kashmir and some parts of Himachal Pradesh. The real momentum was achieved in 1961 consequent to the joining of Dr. Y.K.Sarin, the full time Curator of the herbarium, who in collaboration with Shri A. K. Dutt, Dr. S. K. Kapur, Dr. B. M. Sharma and Dr. B. K. Kapahi, reorganized the herbarium on contemporary lines. Further thousands of voucher specimens were collected, identified & housed in this herbarium resulting in a great need of adequate place to accommodate these important collections. Release of liberal funds from Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, enabled construction of new building with proper storage facilities, computer and other essential equipment thus making the herbarium modern in view and up to date in advancement. The reconstructed herbarium was inaugurated on Ist December,1994 by Prof. Manmohan Sharma,FRS, Director, University Department of Chemical Technology, Mumbai and named as Janaki Ammal Herbarium during the reign of the then Director Dr. R.S Kapil.
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The collections in herbarium were further enriched by Dr. T. N. Srivastava in close collaboration with Dr. B. K. Kapahi & Dr. Virendra Singh. Currently Dr. S.N Sharma in association with his team is managing the affairs of this herbarium.
The structure or organization of Janaki Ammal Herbarium is based on Bentham and Hooker system of classification. International code of Botanical nomenclature incorporating the latest changes has been used in naming the plants. In case of name change of taxon, the correct name is on the top followed by relevant synonyms. If the correct name has a basionym, the basionym follows the correct name and other synonyms follow the basionym.
This herbarium is recognized internationally. The acronym RRLH has been assigned to it which is registered in Index herbariorum at New York, U.S.A.
The necessity of well preserved Herbarium for any research Institute engaged in natural product chemistry, bio evaluation of natural products and herbal /botanical drug development can not be over emphasized as it is used as an important tool for authentication. In addition, this facility is also used for taxonomical studies leading to writing up a flora of the region or other floristic and ecological notes on the Himalayan plants.
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The preserved specimens in this herbarium include a large number of medicinal, aromatic and other economic plants from different parts of India and foreign countries, whereas the flora of North-West Himalayan region is very well represented. The herbarium at present houses more than 21,500 specimens representing 3,254 species, 1,152 genera and 218 families of Angiosperms, Gymnosperms and Pteridophytes. Besides technical details, habit, habitat, flowering and fruiting time of every specimen has been recorded in this herbarium for making it a ready reference and for use by the herbal drug industry for authentication of plant material.
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