Patent ID: 7980148

Claim:
A device for collecting samples of material from plants which comprises: a base member; a formed aperture mounted on the base member; a punch tube formed with a hollow lumen and having a proximal end and a distal end, the punch tube being mounted on the base member for movement between a first location wherein the distal end of the punch tube is at a distance from the formed aperture to establish a gap therebetween for receiving a plant specimen therein, and a second location wherein the distal end of the punch tube is in contact with the formed aperture to cut a plug from the plant specimen; a punch rod having a proximal end and a distal end, the punch rod being coaxially mounted in the lumen of the punch tube for movement therein between a first position wherein the distal end of the punch rod is proximal to the distal end of the punch tube and a second position wherein the distal end of the punch rod is distal to the distal end of the punch tube; and a drive mechanism for selectively moving the punch tube from its first location to its second location, wherein said punch tube cuts a plug from the plant specimen, and for initiating a subsequent movement of the punch rod from its first position to its second position to remove the cut plant specimen plug from the formed aperture for collection thereof.