EEB’s UT Fungal Collection Dedicated in Honor of Two UT Emeritus Professors
We are pleased to announce that the University of Tennessee Fungal Collection in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Dept. has been officially named and dedicated in honor of two UT emeritus professors, Karen W. Hughes and Ronald H. Petersen, whose careers have profoundly shaped modern mycology.
The UT Fungal Collection contains more than 80,000 specimens, representing approximately 11,000 species across 356 families. These two outstanding mycologists have made extraordinary contributions to the herbarium, depositing nearly 15,000 specimens (~19% of the entire UT Fungal Collection!), including more than 3,000 unique species.
Of particular significance are the 190 type specimens they collected and deposited. Type specimens are foundational to biological science, serving as the permanent reference material used to describe and name new species. The scientific value of these specimens cannot be overstated. Their impact is further reflected in their scientific productivity, combined these two researchers have published more than 500 papers!
We are honored to recognize Hughes and Petersen through this dedication and to celebrate their lasting contributions to the UT Herbarium and the global mycological community.