A new herbarium museum that will exhibit over 15,000 species of plants, seeds and leaves is all set to be launched at the North Bengal University here, later this month.

The university’s botany department had build the museum which would help students, research scholars and scientists, said sources.

A herbarium is a collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data which are used for scientific studies. The department had been collecting plant specimens since 1991 and at present, it has around 15,000 species of plants, seeds, leaves, etc.

“This is the first time that such a museum will come up in north Bengal. A new building has been built to house the museum and altogether, we will be able to showcase over 15,000 species of plants, seeds and leaves which are found in the sub-Himalayan region. It would be an attraction for students, researchers and botanists who intend to study plant species of this region,” said Monoranjan Chowdhury, an assistant professor of botany at the varsity.

The department has launched a website — www.nbu.herbarium.in — that has details of the proposed exhibits.

“It has images of each plant species along with necessary details. The website is like a digital herbarium and anybody can access it to collect information,” Chowdhury added.

NBU authorities, he said, is spending Rs 3.55 lakh for the museum.

“A collection of the herbarium is a vital reference when you need to identify a plant. Students can use the digital database or the exhibits of the museum to study biodiversity. The collection can also be used in other works like conservation of ecology and sustainable development,” said a faculty member.

Till 2016, 18 different species of cane was known to be found in north Bengal. But from 2016 to 2018, the department has found out two new species of cane in the region.

“In due course, if any new plant species is found, the database would be updated,” said Chowdhury.