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The Ruhfel Lab at the University of Michigan Herbarium (MICH) has a focus on plant diversity. We explore topics in plant systematics, biogeography, and the flora of the Eastern United States. Our research combines fieldwork, herbarium work, and molecular study.

Currently we are focusing on resolving the evolutionary history and biogeography of the river-weed family (Podostemaceae) using data from whole plastid genomes and the nuclear genome. The river-weeds belong to the clusioid clade of Malpighiales which consists of five families (Bonnetiaceae, Calophyllaceae, Clusiaceae, Hypericaceae, and Podostemaceae) and have both tropical and temperate representatives. Examples of other plants included in this group are the St. Johns worts and the tropical fruits, the mangosteen and the mammey apple. It is our hope that by resolving relationships within this clade, we can begin to understand the systematics, biogeography, and character evolution within this fascinating group of plants.

Recent News
July 2026 - New plant identification app available, powered by U-M Herbarium
May 2026 - Congrats to Brett Benz and Brad Ruhfel on Promotion to Associate Research Scientists
April 2026 - Our AI-Driven Transcription of Herbarium Specimens project wins grand prize
Dec. 2025 - Exploring the Natural World at the Research Museums Center
Oct. 2025 - EEB and U-M Museum of Natural History Celebrate ID Day
June 2025 - Science, meet art: U-M museums’ insect, plant collections on display at Toledo Museum of Art
April 2025 - Record-Breaking Views! UMMZ and Herbarium Digital Records Viewed 1.7 Billion Times
April 2025 - Let’s Talk Vascular Plants with Dr. Brad Ruhfel
Feb. 2025 - RMC Publication Spotlight: Brad Ruhfel on the first plastid phylogenomic analysis of the family Podostemaceae
Jan 2025 -  Celebrating the Extraordinary Work of Trailblazing Botanists

Connecting Students to Citizen Science and Curated Collections
Check out our project designed to help students learn about plant systematics and collecting in the context of our information-rich digital age. Students connect physical plant specimens to citizen science observations and online herbarium databases. They also explore how making these connections helps contribute to our understanding of global biodiversity. The project webpage is  *here* and the associated iNaturalist project page is *here*. As of April 2025 we have over 8700 observations!