Student research at the Herbarium

How can leaves from the same trees tell us about changes in species and environments over time? Undergraduate Chloe Fuson is answering this question through her research in the UCLA Herbarium with the mentorship of Herbarium Curator Dr. Anthony Baniaga. Fuson studies peels of stomata (epidermal cells) taken from tree leaf specimens collected over time from the Botanical Garden. The top photo is a stomatal peel under a microscope.

Don’t miss the Herbarium open house at the Clarkia Festival.

Fuson uses clear nail polish and tape to obtain stomatal peels.