A xylotheque or xylothek (from the Greek for "wood" and meaning "repository") is special form of herbarium that consists of a collection of authenticated wood specimens. It is also known as a xylarium (from the Greek for "wood" and Latin meaning "separate place"). Traditionally, xylotheque specimens were in the form of book-shaped volumes, each made of a particular kind of wood and holding samples of the different parts of the corresponding plant. While the terms are often used interchangeably, some use xylotheque to refer to these older collections of wooden 'books' and xylarium for modern collections in which some or all of the specimens are in simpler shapes, such as blocks or plaques with information engraved on their surfaces. Many countries have at least one xylotheque with native flora, and some also house flora from other parts of the world. They are valuable to specialists in forestry, botany, conservation, forensics, art restoration, paleontology, archaeology, and other fields.
Xylotheques date back to the later 17th century, when wood specimens began to appear in cabinets of curiosity. Over time, they grew larger and more systematic, with hundreds of individual volumes in a single collection. The oldest extant collection was established in 1823 at the University of Leningrad, and by the middle of the century they had been established in many European countries. Australia now houses 12 xylaria holding 11% of the world's wood specimens, while the Oxford Forestry Institute's xylarium holds about 13%.
In older xylotheques, the wooden volumes were typically made out of the same wood as the specimens inside and sometimes decorated with tree bark and associated lichens and mosses. Each volume housed seeds, flowers, twigs, and leaves from the corresponding tree or bush, along with a written description hidden in a small compartment set into the inner spine. An alternative form of xylotheque found in Japan and elsewhere featured paintings of the plant parts rather than actual field specimens.
Even a modest collection of wood samples has value, as each of its samples has a particular history. Xylotheques provide comparison samples for xylotomy, art historical studies, and scientific studies of the physical and mechanical properties of wood, such as durability and preservation. Xylotheques are also useful for anyone who needs to make a morphological-visual analysis of wood.
The xylotheque with the largest number of samples is the Samuel James Record Collection in the United States, which holds 98,000 samples. Formerly housed at the Forestry School of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, it was transferred to the U.S. Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory in 1969. The second largest xylotheque belongs to the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium, with 57,000 samples. The Thünen Institute of Wood Research in Hamburg has more than 37,000 samples.
| Xyloteque | Samples |
| Xylarium Bogoriense, Bogor (Indonesia) | 187,657[1] |
| Madison, Wisconsin (United States) | 98,000 |
| Tervuren (Belgium) | 57,000 |
| Hamburg (Germany) | 37,000 |
| RBG Kew (UK) | 34,000 |
| Building Research Establishment (UK) | 30,000[2] |
| São Paulo (Brazil) | 17,000 |
| Beecroft (Australia) | 13,000 |
The Index xylariorum is a listing of the world's xylaria. It was conceived of by William Louis Stern (1926–) who first published the work in 1967.[3] A subsequent work in 1981 was published by the Botanic Garden of the Polish Academy of Sciences as "No. 1" of the series.[4] Stern then published the third revised edition of this work in 1988.[5] Anna H. Lynch and Peter E. Gasson compiled Index Xylariorum 4.1 in 2010, and the International Association of Wood Anatomists updated the list in 2016 under the supervision of Frederic Lens.[6] In addition to the link to the PDF of this document provided in the reference list of this article, Index Xylariorum 4.1 can also be accessed online as a database through the Global Timber Tracking Network website here.
Below is a list of the Index xylariorum codes, locations, and institutional names included by Stern in his 1988 Index xylariorum.[5] This list is provided for historic context.
| Index xylariorum Code | Institution Name |
| Aw | CAMBRIDGE: Harvard University. |
| ALCw | ALCOBAÇA; Estação de Experimentação Florestal. |
| AMw | AMLAI: Birla Institute of Scientific Research. |
| ARw | YEZIN: Forest Research Institute. |
| Bw | BERLIN-DAHLEM: Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem. |
| BBSw | PARAMARIBO; Surinam Forest Service. |
| BCTw | SÃO PAULO: Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas do Estado de São Paulo. |
| BHVs | BERLIN: Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. |
| BISHw | HONOLULU: Bemice P. Bishop Museum. |
| BKFw | BANGKOK: Royal Forest Department. |
| BMw | LONDON: British Museum (Natural History). |
| BOFw | BOGOTÁ: Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Madereras. |
| BPw | BUDAPEST: Hungarian Museum of Natural History. |
| BRIw | BRISBANE: Queensland Herbarium. |
| BSILw | LUCKNOW: BirbalSahni Institute of Paleobotany. |
| BULHw | BULOLO: Papua New Guinea Forestry College. |
| BWCw | SYRACUSE: College of Environmental Science and Forestry. |
| BZFw | BOGOR: Lembaga Penelitian Hasil Hutan (Forest Products Research Institute). |
| CAFw | BEIJING: Chinese Academy of Forestry. |
| CANBw | CANBERRA: Australian National Herbarium. |
| CEPECw | ILHÉUS: Centro de Pesquisas do Cacau. |
| CHITw | CHTITAGONG: Forest Research Institute. |
| CHNw | CHRISTCHURCH: University of Canterbury. |
| CHRw | CHRISTCHURCH: Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. |
| CLPw | COLLEGE: Forest Products Research and Development Institute. |
| CONCw | CONŒPCIÔN: Universidad de Concepción. |
| CQTw | BRISBANE: Queensland Department of Forestry. |
| CTBw | PARIS: Centre Technique du Bois et de l'Ameublement. |
| CTFw | NOGENT-SUR-MARNE: Cenfre Technique Forestier Tropical. |
| CVRDw | LINHARES: Reserva Florestal da CVRD. |
| Dw | DELFT: TNO Timber Research Institute. |
| DBw | DUBLIN: University College. |
| DDw | DEHRADUN: Forest Research Institute and Colleges. |
| DEQw | QUITO: Instituto Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales. |
| DREw | DRESDEN: Wissenschaftlich-technisches Zentrum der holzverarbeitenden Industrie. |
| ECw | HEREDIA: Universidad Nacional. |
| EIFw | SANTIAGO: Universidad de Chile. |
| ESAw | PIRACICABA: Universidade de São Paulo. |
| FHIw | IBADAN: Forest Research Institute of Nigeria. |
| FHOw | OXFORD: University of Oxford. |
| FIw | FLORENCE: Herbarium Universitatis Florentinae and Erbario Tropicale di Firenze. |
| FLw | FLORENCE: Istituto per la Ricerca sul Legno. |
| FLASw | GAINESVILLE: University of Florida. |
| FPAw | HIGHETT: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. |
| FPBw | BRASÍLIA: Instituto Brasileiro de Desenvolvimento Florestal. |
| FRw | FRANKFURT AM MAIN: Naturmuseum und Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg. |
| FRIGw | GUANGZHOU: Forest Research Institùte of Guangdong Province. |
| GTw | GEORGETOWN: Guyana Forestry Commission. |
| HBw | HAVANA: Centro de Investigación Forestal. |
| HBRw | ITAJAÍ: Herbário "Barbosa Rodrigues." |
| HEFw | HEFEI: Anhui Agricultural College. |
| HMw | LONDON: The Homiman Museum and Library. |
| IFPw | SHENYANG: Institute of Forestry and Pedology. |
| IICAw | TURRIALBA: Universidad de Costa Rica. |
| IJw | KINGSTON: Institute of Jamaica. |
| INPAw | MANAUS: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia. |
| ITAw | MANAUS: Instituto de Tecnologia da Amazônia. |
| JARIw | MONTE DOURADO: Superintendência de Pesquisa Florestal. |
| Kw | KEW: Royal Botanic Gardens, Economic and Conservation Section. |
| KARw | KARAJ: College of Natural Resources. |
| KEPw | KEPONG: Forest Research Institute Malaysia. |
| K-Jw | KEW: Royal Botanic Gardens, Jodrell Laboratory. |
| KNw | KAMPALA: Nakawa Forest Research Institute. |
| KYOw | KYOTO: Kyoto University. |
| Lw | LEIDEN: Rijksherbarium. |
| LAEw | LAE: Department of Forests. |
| LEw | LENINGRAD: V. L. Komarov Botanical Institute. |
| LILw | TUCUMÁN: Instituto Miguel Lillo. |
| LISJCw | LISBON: Jardim e Museu Agrícola Tropical. |
| LIVw | LIVERPOOL: Liverpool Museum. |
| LNECw | LISBON: Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil. |
| MADw | MADISON: U.S. Forest Products Laboratory. |
| MADRw | MADRID: Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrarias. |
| MAD-SJRw | MADISON: U.S. Forest Products Laboratory. |
| MCSw | MILAN: Civico Museo de Storia Naturale. |
| MEDELw | MEDELLIN: Universidad Nacional. |
| MERw | MÉRIDA: Universidad de los Andes. |
| MEXFW | MÉXICO: Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales. |
| MEXUw | MÉXICO: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. |
| MGw | BELÉM: Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi. |
| MICHw | ANNARBOR: University of Michigan. |
| MUNw | MUNICH: Universität München. |
| NATw | ILANOTH: Agricultural Research Organisation. |
| NINw | MANAGUA: Nicaraguan Institute of Natural Resources and Environment. |
| NMWw | CARDIFF: National Museum of Wales. |
| NYw | BRONX: The New York Botanical Garden. |
| NYJw | PORTLAND: World Forestry Center. |
| OLw | OTTAWA: Forintek Canada Corporation. |
| PACw | RALEIGH: North Carolina State University. |
| PATw | PARIS: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. |
| PFPw | PRETORIA: South African Forestry Research Institute. |
| PMPw | BOROKO: Forest Products Research and Development Centre. |
| PRFw | PRINCES RISBOROUGH: Building Research Establishment. |
| PTw | PRAGUE: Timber Research and Development Institute. |
| RBw | RIO DE JANEIRO: Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. |
| RBHw | HAMBURG: Bundesforschungsanstalt für Forst- und Holzwirtschaft. |
| RFw | ROSENHEIM: Fachhochschule Rosenheim. |
| RPPRw | RIO PIEDRAS: Instituteof Tropical Forestry. |
| RSAw | CLAREMONT: Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. |
| RTIw | AMSTERDAM: Royal Tropical Institute. |
| SANw | SANDAKAN: Forest Research Centre. |
| SARFw | KUCKNG: Forest Department. |
| SFCw | BEECROFT: Forestry Commission of New South Wales. |
| SPw | SÃO PAULO: Instituto de Botânica. |
| S-PAw | STOCKHOLM: Swedish Museum of Natural History. |
| SPSFw | SãO PAULO: Instituto Florestal de São Paulo. |
| STEw | STELLENBOSCH: University of Stellenbosch. |
| SVw | HAVANA: Academia de Ciencias de Cuba. |
| SWTw | STOCKHOLM: Swedish Institute for Wood Technology Research. |
| SYSw | GUANGZHOU: Sun Yat-Sen University. |
| SZDw | SZEGED: Universitatis Szeged. |
| Tw | TERVUREN: Koninklijk Museum voor Midden-Afrika (Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale). |
| TAIw | TAIPEI: National Taiwan University. |
| TAIFw | TAIPEI: Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. |
| TAUw | THESSALONIKI: Aristotelian University. |
| TIPw | RECIFE: Fundação Instituto Tecnológico do Estado de Pernambuco. |
| TOFOw | TOKYO: University of Tokyo. |
| TRTw | TORONTO: University of Toronto. |
| TSFw | THARANDT: Technische Universität Dresden. |
| TWTw | TSUKUBA: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute. |
| Uw | UTRECHT: Rijksuniversiteit te Utrecht. |
| UCw | RICHMOND: University of California. |
| UCNWw | BANGOR: University College of North Wales. |
| USw | WASHINGTON: Smithsonian Institution. |
| VENw | CARACAS: Instituto Botánico. |
| VFw | VIENNA: Forstlichen Bundesversuchsanstalt. |
| VLw | VANCOUVER: Forintek Canada Corporation. |
| WAGw | WAGENINGEN: Department of Plant Taxonomy, Agricultural University. |
| WDw | WINTERTHUR: The Henry Francis du Pont WinterthuT Museum. |
| WFw | ADELAIDE: Woods and Forest Department. |
| WIBw | WAGENINGEN: Department of Forestry Techniques, Agricultural University. |
| WLw | WAGENINGEN: Botanisch Laboratorium. |
| WZw | ROTORUA: Forest Research Institute. |
| XALw | XALAPA: Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Sobre Recursos Bióticos. |
| YANw | YANGLING: Northwestern College of Forestry. |
| ZAw | ZAGREB: University of Zagreb. |
| ZTw | ZÜRICH: Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule. |
For documenta 13 in 2012, American artist Mark Dion created a new hexagonal display chamber for the Schildbach Xylotheque at the Natural History Museum in Kassel, Germany. As part of the project, he created six new volumes made of wood from each of the continents (excluding Antarctica).