Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium of the School of Life Sciences at CUHK has created an innovative 3D database of plant specimens. The Virtual Carpological Herbarium of Fruits and Seeds, showcasing more than 300 specimens including 200 native ones in 3D models, will provide an insightful reference for native plant identification, ecological surveys, and conservation of rare and endangered species. It was reconstructed with efforts combining plant taxonomy and photogrammetry.

The database is now available online for researchers and the public to view the 3D plant models on computers and mobile devices without additional software. The models can be rotated through 360° and magnified at high resolutions, allowing users to inspect features smaller than 1 mm such as close-up textures of leaves and seeds, much like seeing the real specimens.

The research methodology and results were published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.

To explore the 3D models, please visit here.