The following has been added to the protocol document, because nothing about collecting unknowns was in the document. Protocol document, version 4.2.1 (b)(coincidence that the version number and section number are identical!).
4.2.1: Species identification and collection
Each species observed within the bounds of the plot is recorded on the cover datasheet. Species names should conform to the taxonomic standard indicated on the plot datasheet (see §5.1: Taxonomic standard). Species names should be recorded as precisely as possible, using variety and subspecies names when possible. If different people are sampling stems, care should be taken to use the same species names, especially in cases where species determination is difficult. When it is not possible to determine the full species name, or in other cases where species identification is uncertain, a portion of the plant in question should be collected if such a collection is judged unlikely to harm the plant significantly. If a plant is not large or healthy enough to collect a specimen, take digital photos of the plant if possible, and/or make the best species determination possible in the field.
On the datasheet, the "species name" column should be filled in with whatever identification is currently possible, using "sp." where only genus or family can be determined, as well as any longhand descriptions of unknown plants useful in matching its specimen to the row on the datasheet (e.g., Carex "red shred long rhizome"). When there are more than one unknown species name within the same genus or family, number the species to prevent confusion as to whether this is the same species or a different one (e.g., Dichanthelium sp. #2, Dichanthelium sp. #3, etc.). Make a single diagonal slash in the "c" column ("c" stands for "collected"), marking through the row number. If the specimen can be flagged and marked, be sure to mark it with the page and row number where it was recorded on the datasheet. The collected plant specimen should be placed in a bag clearly marked with the full plot identification. The plant specimen should be pressed as soon as is reasonable, with the full plot identification (project-team-plot) as well as the page and row number corresponding to the data about the specimen (e.g., 87-4-832-1-23). Once the species name is determined, the row number makes marking the datasheet (and if data entry has already occurred, the data entry tool) much easier to update. After the species name has been updated on the cover sheet, the "c" column slash should be marked the other way to form an X, indicating that the collected specimen has been identified.