Algae Press

The digital collection includes digitized pressed, dried algae specimens. Specimens were collected primarily by Dr. Stephen Davis, distinguished professor of biology at Seaver College, Pepperdine University from 1975 to 1988 from locations along the California shore from Malibu Lagoon, Surfrider Beach, Point Dume, Latigo Bay, Bodega Bay and locations in Sonoma and Monterey counties. The majority of the specimens were collected by Dr. Davis in 1976 in Monterey County, California. Each specimen was meticulously mounted on backing paper, identified by genus and species, and labeled with the location and conditions of the collection site.

Most of the specimens were collected while Dr. Davis was a postgraduate student under the supervision of world-class botanist, Dr. Isabella Abbot. The following specimens in the collection were named by Isabella Abbot: Pleonosporium Squarrulosum, Gelidium Robustum, Farlowia Conferta, Neoptilota Densa, Rhodymenia Callophyllidoides. 

In 2023, under the supervision of Dr. Florybeth La Valle, Seaver students in Biology 105 converted data from mounting sheets into a digital spreadsheet, updating genus and species designations according to Algaebase. In the digital collection, original data is labeled and presented along with updated data.