New York aquatic plants: Imaging the diaspore collection of Walter C. Muenscher1

During the 1930s and '40s Walter Muenscher collected diaspores (fruits and seeds) from 198 species of aquatic plants from half the counties in New York, USA. These collections, stored in glass vials, currently reside at the L. H. Bailey Hortorium Herbarium at Cornell University, as well as several other institutions. Diaspore morphology was documented using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Of the 198 species (100 genera and 55 families) the majority were monocots (118) with the remaining consisting of 75 eudicots, seven Nymphaeales, and Ceratophyllum. Diaspores from 36 species shown here have not previously been documented photographically. Seed and fruit morphology was studied by first consulting the literature and online resources. AI software was then used, for the first time, to illustrate these terms and include them, along with descriptions, into glossaries showing diaspore shapes and surfaces. Notably, 67% of the species included here have not previously been visualized using SEM. The accurate identification of aquatic plant diaspores is crucial for many fields including plant taxonomy, biosecurity (e.g., introduction of invasive species), wildlife food, and habitat restoration.