Thousands of our native plants have no public photographs available. Here's why that matters

The first online photograph of Wurmbea dilatata, a small perennial herb found along the west coast of Western Australia Thomas Mesaglio, Author provided

For hundreds of years, botanists have collected plants to describe species and keep in herbaria across the world. But while physical plant specimens are irreplaceable, photographs of plants are also an invaluable resource for botanical research, conservation and education.

Photographs of plants capture information that can be lost from dead, dried plants, such as flower colour. They also provide ecological context and form the cornerstone of many field guides and education resources.