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Anonymous
Hey guys I have kind of a weird question. This is sort of kinda of in the nature category. I'm taking a "taxonomy of flowering plants" class and I'm supposed to use a plant press to get my collected specimens flat. I collected and ID'd Pokeweed (Phytolaccaceae Phytolacca americana). I need to know what's the best way to get it flat without making a huge mess of the berries. I want them intact if at all possible. I was thinking of putting it in the oven to dry it out but I'm not sure what I should wrap it in, temp., etc.

tl;dr how do i get this plant flat without making a mess?
>> Anonymous
I don't know about pokeweed, but fruits and berries are usually dried using relatively low temperatures (50C or so) and high air flow.
Most likely you'll need antioxidants or something to preserve the color, too. Maybe /ck/ knows.
>> Anonymous
Do you /have/ to get the berries flat? Otherwise I suggest you sundry/oven bake the berries until they're dry and wrinkly, then place it in a container or gladwrap.