Amy Litt

Director of the UCR Herbarium

Associate Professor &
Associate Biologist of Plant Evolution &
Development

Andrew C. Sanders

Curator/Museum Scientist
of the UCR Herbarium

Specializing in the plants of southern California.

Teresa Salvato

Assistant Museum Scientist

Supports Curator in virtually all aspects of Herbarium Management 

Mitch Provance

Associate Researcher

Working on systematics & taxonomy of the Ebenaceae and Chenopodium of western California as well as the floristics of the Mexican states of Aguascalientes and southern Zacatecas.

Michael Cohen

Volunteer

Providing expertise in geographic information system, web presentation and exploration of new developments in technology.

Sara Mills

Volunteer

Retired biology teacher providing her scientific skills.

Chris Wagner-Coshland 

 Current Lichen & Bryophyte Curator
 Botanist, Lichenologist, Bryologist 

Providing Collection Management Support of Bryophytes and Lichens, and general support for Algae, and Fungi Specimen Management  at UCRH

A look back in time, we spotlight Oscar Clarke, previous Curator of the UCR Herbarium...

Oscar Clarke was born in Colton, California, in 1919. He grew up collecting bird eggs and plants, and so developed a lifelong interest in natural history. In 1941, he began working at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) when it was known as the Citrus Experiment Station. After a stint in the Army during World War II, he returned to UCR and worked in the departments of nematology and plant pathology.

Oscar was known for extreme familiarity with the local flora and for always being willing to talk about plants and animals, with any interested people, whether amateur, student, professional or fellow naturalist. He was also known for being sociable, talkative, and easily distracted. It was not unusual for Oscar to go off on tangents when something interesting came along…and boy, did he have many interests. Oscar seemed never to have been bored — there was always something to catch his attention. And if you were driving with him, prepare for sudden stops and last second turns if something appears on the roadside.

In 1966, Clarke became the Curator of the UCR Herbarium, which was founded by Frank Vasek in c 1957; and was run entirely by Frank and part time student workers until Oscar became curator in 1966.  The collection grew from 6,000 to almost 16,000 during his tenure as Curator, which lasted until 1979.

The UCR Herbarium is currently the fifth largest Herbarium in California with almost 277,000 specimens as of July 2023.

During his time at UCR, Clarke also assisted with botany courses and research on plant taxonomy.

Clarke published some articles on plant taxonomy, ecology, and conservation, but his most notable work is "The Flora of the Santa Ana River and Environs," which was published in 2007.

This book is a guide to the plants of the Santa Ana River watershed and is a very popular and widely used resource book for botanists, ecologists, and conservationists.

Clarke was a passionate advocate for conservation, and he worked tirelessly to protect the plants and ecosystems of Southern California. He was a founding member of the local chapter of California Native Plant Society, and he served on the board of directors of the Santa Ana River Watershed Association. He was a longtime member of Southern California Botanists.

Clarke was a beloved figure in the botanical community, and he was known for his warmth and generosity. He was a mentor to many young botanists, and he inspired and helped many people to pursue a career in plant research.

He was a regular field trip leader for natural history organizations in Southern California, including Southern California Botanists, California Native Plant Society, Sierra Club Natural History Section, and others.

Oscar died in 2013 at the age of ninety-three. He was a towering figure in local botany, and his legacy will continue to inspire botanists for generations to come.