Plant primary color specimen pressing and preserving method

Abstract

The invention discloses a plant primary color specimen pressing and preserving method, and relates to the field of plant specimen manufacturing. Firstly, a complete specimen is collected; the specimens are preliminarily arranged, and redundant branches and leaves are cut off; the specimen is placed on the newspaper supported by the corrugated paper, then the newspaper is closed, and a piece of corrugated paper is placed on the newspaper and pressed well; the specimens need to be carefully trimmed after being sorted for the second time, then the newspaper and the corrugated paper are closed again, and the specimens are put into a sealing bag; a silica gel drying agent is poured into the sealing bag and laid flat, the sealing bag is sealed, a small opening is reserved in the sealing bag, all the specimens are placed on the specimen holder by repeating the operation, the specimen binding band is tightened until the specimen binding band cannot be pulled, then sealing is conducted, and the silica gel drying agent is dried for 3-5 days. The problems that a traditional dried specimen is prone to mildewing, coking and damage, leaves are uneven, the specimen is affected by the environment, and the drying time is uncertain are solved, the primary color, flatness and attractiveness of the specimen are reserved, and display and research are facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of plant specimen preparation technology, specifically relating to a method for pressing and preserving original color plant specimens. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional specimen drying methods typically fall into two categories: oven drying and natural air drying. While oven drying is relatively short, the high temperatures easily cause plant specimens to blacken, char, and become damaged. Conversely, low-temperature drying can lead to excessively long drying times, increasing the likelihood of mold growth. Uneven stacking thickness of specimens during drying results in uneven heating, causing some parts to dry while others remain undried. Ovens also pose safety hazards, requiring constant supervision to prevent accidents. Natural air drying is the longest method, heavily reliant on environmental conditions. Plants with high moisture content are prone to mold growth, temperature is uncontrollable, drying time fluctuates widely, and leaves may become uneven or curled, hindering the observation and study of plant characteristics. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the problems existing in current plant specimen preparation techniques, the present invention aims to provide a relatively stable, long-lasting, effective, low-cost, aesthetically pleasing, and practical specimen preparation method.

[0004] A method for pressing and preserving plant specimens in their original color is implemented according to the following steps:

[0005] 1. Collect complete specimens;

[0006] 2. Perform preliminary processing on the collected specimens, pruning away excess branches and leaves, as well as incomplete leaves, and exposing flowers, fruits, or spores as much as possible;

[0007] 3. Specimen pressing: Secure the specimen with the straps to the appropriate size and place it under the specimen holder. Place one or two pieces of corrugated cardboard on top of the specimen holder, then place two folded and staggered newspapers on top of the corrugated cardboard. Place the trimmed specimen on the newspapers, then fold the newspapers over and place a piece of corrugated cardboard on top to press it down. Repeat the above steps until all the collected specimens are pressed. Finally, place another specimen holder on top and tighten the specimen straps. The specimen should be removed 4-5 hours after the initial pressing and shaping.

[0008] 4. Secondary processing of specimens: After the specimens are removed after the first pressing, each specimen is carefully processed and trimmed. After the specimens are processed, a piece of corrugated paper is placed on top of the newspaper to form a pattern in which the newspaper is wrapped and pressed down by two pieces of corrugated paper. Then, it is placed in a sealed bag of appropriate size.

[0009] 5. Specimen Drying: Use silica gel desiccant. Pour it into a labeled resealable bag, generally about one and a half bottles full. Pour it over the top layer of corrugated cardboard. Seal the bag, leaving only a small opening. Place the bag horizontally on the specimen press, spreading the desiccant evenly by hand or other tools to prevent uneven drying. Repeat this drying process for all specimens, stacking them neatly on the specimen press. The specimen press should be padded with two sheets of corrugated cardboard beforehand, and the same applies to the top specimen press. Once the specimens and instruments are prepared, tighten the specimen strap as much as possible, then seal each specimen. Silica gel desiccant requires 3-5 days to dry. During this process, the desiccant will absorb moisture, and the specimen thickness will decrease. Tighten the specimen strap again to ensure the specimen remains flat.

[0010] 6. Specimen Preservation: After the specimen has dried, if you want to use it, loosen the specimen strap, open the sealed bag, and shake off the desiccant. If you want to preserve it, loosen the specimen strap, leave it unopened, and place it in the corresponding location. This method can ensure that the specimen remains dry and does not change color for a long time. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 Place the trimmed specimens on staggered newspapers;

[0012] Figure 2 The prepared specimens are being placed into sealed bags;

[0013] Figure 3 Pour the silica gel desiccant into a sealed bag;

[0014] Figure 4 Spread the silica gel desiccant evenly on the corrugated paper;

[0015] Figure 5 After the specimen is tightly sealed with straps, wait for the silica gel desiccant to dry. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0017] The method for preserving the original color of plant specimens employs the following technical steps:

[0018] 1. Collect specimens: Complete specimens should include leaves, flowers or fruits; ferns should have spores; herbs should have roots; specimens should be healthy, free of disease spots and insect bites, and representative of the general condition of the species.

[0019] 2. Specimen preparation: Perform preliminary preparation of the collected specimens, pruning away excess branches and leaves, as well as incomplete leaves. Flowers, fruits, or spores should be exposed as much as possible. Whether or not a leaf has a front and back depends on the specimen being prepared. For herbarium specimens, both front and back are required, while for embedded specimens, only the front is needed.

[0020] 3. Pressing the specimen: Secure the specimen to the appropriate size with straps, place it under the specimen holder, and place one or two sheets of corrugated cardboard on top of the holder. Then, place two folded and staggered sheets of newspaper on top of the corrugated cardboard, and place the trimmed specimen on the newspaper. Figure 1 As shown. At this point, any unsuitable parts of the specimen can be trimmed. If the specimen has flowers and the flowers are large, you can use a tissue to unfold and press them down to maintain their shape. Then fold the newspaper on both sides, place a piece of corrugated cardboard on top and press it down. Repeat the above operation until all the collected specimens are pressed. Finally, place another specimen clip on top and tighten the specimen straps. Be careful not to pull too tight to avoid damaging the specimen. The specimen should be removed 4-5 hours after the initial pressing and shaping.

[0021] 4. Secondary Specimen Preparation: After the initial pressing of the specimens, carefully arrange and trim each specimen. Pay special attention to the flatness of the leaves, their front and back surfaces, and the shape of the flowers. After preparation, place a sheet of corrugated cardboard on top of the newspaper, creating a structure where the newspaper is wrapped around the specimen with two sheets of corrugated cardboard. Then, place the specimens in a suitably sized resealable bag. Figure 2 As shown;

[0022] 5. Drying the specimen: Use silica gel desiccant, pour it into a labeled resealable bag, such as... Figure 3 As shown. Generally, pour in about one and a half bottles, the exact amount depending on the moisture content of the specimen. Pour it over the top of the corrugated paper, then seal the bag, leaving only a small opening. Place the bag horizontally on the specimen holder, spreading the desiccant evenly inside by hand or other tools to prevent uneven drying. Figure 4 As shown. After repeating the above drying process for all specimens, stack them neatly and place them in specimen holders. The specimen holders should be padded with two sheets of corrugated cardboard beforehand; the same applies to the specimen holders above. Once the specimens and instruments are prepared, begin to tighten the specimen straps, pulling as far as possible before sealing each specimen. Figure 5 As shown. Silica gel desiccant needs to dry for 3-5 days. During this process, the desiccant absorbs moisture and the specimen thickness will decrease. The specimen strip needs to be tightened again to ensure the specimen's flatness.

[0023] 6. Specimen Preservation: After the specimen has dried, if you want to use it, loosen the specimen strap, open the sealed bag, and shake off the desiccant. If you want to preserve it, loosen the specimen strap, leave it untouched, and place it in the corresponding position. The specimen should not be tilted, and the desiccant should remain stationary. Do not apply force when placing it, otherwise the specimen will be crushed. This method can ensure that the specimen remains dry and does not change color for a long time.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0025] First, the original color is well preserved. Most specimens can be restored to their original color, and the specimens are flat, beautiful, and clear in detail. They will not change over time, making them easy to exhibit, observe, identify, authenticate, and study.

[0026] Second, the drying speed is fast and relatively consistent, and no mold will occur during the drying process, and there is no need to consider external environmental factors.

[0027] Third, the subsequent maintenance cost is low. When the specimen is dried, there is no moisture inside. Herbarium specimens are placed on mounting paper and then sealed in a bag to isolate moisture. Afterwards, only periodic checks are needed. Embedded specimens are sealed in glue to completely isolate them from water and air. Afterwards, only dust cleaning is needed.

[0028] Fourth, it has a long shelf life, absorbs moisture thoroughly, and is not prone to mold, rot, insect infestation, oxidation, or other problems.

[0029] Fifth, the production process is simple and the production cost is low. The silica gel desiccant can be used repeatedly for drying.

[0030] VI. Suitable for various types of plants, with a wide range of applications.

Claims

1. A method for pressing and preserving plant specimens in their original color, characterized in that: (1) Collect complete specimens; (2) Perform preliminary sorting of the collected specimens, cut off excess branches and leaves as well as incomplete leaves, and expose flowers, fruits or spores as much as possible; (3) Specimen pressing: Fix the specimen strap to the appropriate size and place it under the specimen holder. Place one or two pieces of corrugated paper on top of the specimen holder, and then place two folded newspapers on top of the corrugated paper. Place the trimmed specimen on the newspaper. If there are any unsuitable parts of the specimen at this time, you can continue to trim them. Then fold the newspaper in half and place a piece of corrugated paper on top to press it down. Repeat the above operation until all the collected specimens are pressed. Finally, place another specimen holder on top and tighten the specimen strap. The specimen should be removed 4-5 hours after the first pressing and shaping. (4) Secondary processing of specimens: After the specimens are pressed for the first time, each specimen is carefully processed and trimmed. After the specimens are processed, a piece of corrugated paper is placed on top of the newspaper to form a pattern in which the newspaper is wrapped and pressed down by two pieces of corrugated paper. Then, it is placed in a sealed bag of appropriate size. (5) Specimen drying: Use silica gel desiccant and pour it into a labeled resealable bag, generally about one and a half bottles. Pour it onto the top of the corrugated paper, then seal the bag, leaving only a small opening. Place the bag horizontally on the specimen holder, spreading the desiccant evenly by hand or other tools to prevent uneven drying. Repeat the drying process for all specimens, stack them neatly, and place them on the specimen holder. The specimen holder should be padded with two sheets of corrugated paper beforehand, and the same applies to the upper specimen holder. Once the specimens and instruments are prepared, tighten the specimen strap as much as possible, then seal each specimen. Silica gel desiccant requires 3-5 days to dry. During this process, the desiccant absorbs water, and the specimen thickness decreases. Tighten the specimen strap again to ensure the specimen's flatness. (6) Preservation of specimens: After the specimens are dried, if you want to use them, loosen the specimen strip, open the sealed bag, take out the desiccant and shake it off; if you want to preserve them, loosen the specimen strip, leave them untouched, and place them in the corresponding position. This method can ensure that the specimens remain dry and unchanged for a long time.

2. The method for preserving the original color of plant specimens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The complete specimens collected in step 1 require that the leaves, flowers or fruits be complete, ferns have spores, and herbs have roots. The specimens should be healthy, without disease spots or insect bites, and should be representative of the general condition of the species.

3. The method for preserving the original color of plant specimens according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 2, the presence or absence of a front and back side of the leaf depends on the specimen being prepared. For herbarium specimens, both front and back sides are required, while for embedded specimens, only the front side is needed.

4. The method for preserving the original color of plant specimens according to claim 1, characterized in that: If the specimen has flowers and the flowers are large, you can use a tissue to unfold and press them down to maintain their shape. When tightening the specimen straps, be careful not to pull them too tight to avoid damaging the specimen.

5. The method for preserving the original color of plant specimens according to claim 1, characterized in that: When tidying and pruning in step 4, special attention should be paid to the flatness of the leaves, the front and back sides, and the shape of the flowers.

6. The method for preserving the original color of plant specimens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The specific amount of silica gel desiccant used in step 5 is determined by the moisture content of the specimen.

7. The method for preserving the original color of plant specimens according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 6, when placing the specimen in the corresponding position, it must not be tilted, the desiccant must remain stationary, and no force should be applied during placement, otherwise the specimen will be shaken and broken.

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