The Doublet Department of the Herbarium (about 20,000 herbarium sheets) was established in 1922, following the final arrangement of all the herbarium collections that had been gathered since its foundation, and was supplemented in processing and arrangement of all materials coming into the Herbarium. The department comprises the duplicates (repeating) specimens of vascular plants, mainly from Siberia. A feature of the Doublet Department of the TSU Herbarium is that it comprises not only the repeating specimens (true doublets), but also ordinary plants from places of no particular interest in botanical and geographical terms, and copies of the nearest locations. Doublet materials are kept unmounted, without boxes. Doublet department is consumable. Specimens for exchange are selected from this department, as well as are small collections for educational institutions to serve the educational goals. Doublets are also used to exchange with other Russian and foreign herbaria and for scientific works of graduate and doctoral students. Often, mainly following the reviewing of the individual groups of plants when working on dissertations, valuable specimens are found among doublets and then sent to the General Department. All materials of the Doublet Department of the TSU Herbarium are available for use.
The Arctic Department (about 1400 herbarium sheets) was detached and established in 1926 by L.P. Sergievskaya. Contains collections from the Arctic, Greenland, and Spitzbergen. This includes famous collection of N. Nordensheld collected on a journey on the ship “Vega”. This department was detached rather provisionally; plants of Arctic Siberia are also stored in the Western, Yenisei and Eastern Siberia Departments. Currently it is not being supplemented.
The Tropical Department (about 900 herbarium sheets) was detached and established in 1933 by L.P. Sergievskaya based on collections from Philippine Islands, Sumatra, and other places, sent in exchange by Merrill. Department characterizes tropical flora only to a small extent; many species of tropical plants are kept in the General Department. It is used to make presentations during lectures and excursions. Currently, it is not being supplemented.
The Department of Sporophytes (lichens and bryophytes) (about 12,000 specimens) established in 1926. Comprises specimens of lichens (about 5,000 specimens) and bryophytes (about 6,000 specimens) collected from Siberia and elsewhere in the Asian part of Russia, there are collections from European Russia and Western Europe. The collection of lichens since the moment of its establishment had been listed by well-known lichenologist, academician M.P. Tomin. The collection contains hepatics and leafy mosses from the territory of the former USSR and Western Europe; P.N. Krylov in Kazan collected the oldest specimens. In Soviet times, the collection of bryophytes was supplemented by materials from Southern Siberia collected by S.V. Gudoshnikova, from relic lime island by E.D. Krapivkin and from the territory of the West Siberian Plain by Y.A. Lvov. Mosses collected up to 1917 were listed by Brotherus at the request of P.N. Krylov, until 1970 A.F. Bachurina did the identification (Ukraine), hepatics collected by P.N. Krylov were identified by E.Y. Zenkov. Collection of spore plants is used only in special studies and is currently not being supplemented. There are unsorted specimens.
The Department of Training Herbarium (about 4,500 herbarium sheets) contains specimens used as demonstration material for lectures on plant taxonomy. Detached from the doublet department and established in 1922 by L.P. Sergievskaya, was expanded when it was necessary. Plants are mounted on heavier paper than those in the General Department. Training herbarium is subject to damage due to frequent use. In 2007, it was transferred to the Department of Botany, which carries out training activities.
The Department of Thematic Collections was detached in the fifties of twentieth century, but was small and was stored in folders. In the early nineties, the collections were widened. The department comprises the collection of medicinal, edible, weed, and poisonous plants, as well as rare plants of Tomsk Oblast and rare plants of Siberia. Besides the usual labels, herbarium specimens are provided, with labels of larger format containing additional information specific to each collection. This Department is used for presentations during the popular science lectures at the Herbarium.
Collection of seeds initiated in the fifties of the twentieth century. It was fully established in 1984 by I.I. Gureeva. Seeds are stored sealed in polyethylene film bags, containing labels indicating the type of plant and a place where it was gathered. The collection contains more than one thousand seeds of gymnosperms species and angiosperms. Currently it is not being supplemented.
