Africa's herbarium collections are a scientific treasure. They need to be digitized before more biodiversity is lost

Africa's herbarium collections are a treasure trove of scientific knowledge, yet these invaluable resources are often hidden away in cabinets, inaccessible to most researchers and policymakers. These herbaria hold pressed plant specimens, collected over centuries, which provide crucial information about species distribution and ecosystem changes over time.

However, the real challenge lies in the fact that only a small fraction of these records are digitized, searchable, or available online. This lack of accessibility hampers scientific research, conservation efforts, and evidence-based decision-making about Africa's natural heritage.

Botanical taxonomists rely on herbarium specimens to study and organize plant diversity, generating data that inform various plant-related research, conservation priorities, and biodiversity legislation. Digitizing herbarium specimens can greatly enhance access to these collections while protecting the specimens themselves. By making this information available online, researchers around the world can collaborate more effectively, reducing costly travel and specimen loans.

Digitization also supports assessments of species scarcity, aids in protected area planning, environmental authorizations, and invasive species management.

South Africa boasts 66 herbaria with over 3.2 million specimens of around 21,600 species, many of which are not yet digitized. These specimens often hold information about plant characters and habitats, which are crucial for botanical research. Herbarium specimens are typically labeled with details about their collection, including the location, date, and collector.

Digitization involves transcribing these label details into a database, georeferencing the localities, and imaging the specimens at high resolution. This process is essential for global efforts to protect species and the planet, as the data are used for historical research, species identification, and biodiversity studies.

While significant progress has been made in digitizing African herbaria, many institutions still lag behind. For example, the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris houses over 11,230 type specimens from the western Indian Ocean islands, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London holds more than 2,200 types collected in South Africa.

These collections are vital contributions to botanical science and biodiversity research globally, but they are accessible only digitally. Fortunately, there have been significant advancements within African institutions, demonstrating what is possible.

To maximize the potential of Africa's herbarium collections, a pan-African coordinated digitization effort is needed, managed from within the continent. This should begin with an audit of existing collections and identify what is at risk. African collections must be fairly represented in the emerging global metaherbarium, an interlinked, open-access, global digital herbarium.

Additionally, data and images from Northern Hemisphere institutions should be repatriated to accessible African repositories. Building community networks to share skills, infrastructure, and funding strategies is also crucial. Policymakers and funders must recognize the importance of herbarium data in conservation decisions, protected area planning, and species recovery.

Leveraging artificial intelligence, such as automated transcription of handwritten labels, could significantly accelerate the digitization process.