Who do I ask to find out if a species of plant is new?

Question

I am always looking for plants in remote areas and now I think I have found a new one. But Who do I ask to find out if its new?

Answer 1

The people who describe and catalog species of plants are called "plant systematists" or "systematic botanists" or "plant taxonomists".  They're generally found working in academia, in schools with herbaria.  

http://sciweb.nybg.org/science2/IndexHer...

will help you locate a nearby herbarium.  Call and talk to the curator or curatorial assistants, and be prepared to provide some good clear photographs of the plants and habitat.

Answer 2

kay has given good advice about who to contact with your possible new plant. However, an actual specimen is much more useful to a systematic botanist than a photograph. On a photograph, it is often impossible to see important details of the plant, like the types of hairs it has and the finer details of the flower. Making a herbarium specimen is a better way ... it can also be sent by mail to the botanist for identification (but if you do this, it is a good idea to make two herbarium specimens from the one plant ... one to keep for yourself and one to send). Of course, if your possible new plant is rare, you don't pull it up by the roots! You cut off pieces to press. See link to find a useful guide to making herbarium specimens.