Our science relies on three internationally important collections:
- A living collection of over 15,000 species, including a research plant collection
- A herbarium collection of nearly three million preserved specimens
- A library containing 90,000 books, 4,000 journal titles and important historical archives
Children participating in a practical science session.
Working in over 40 countries, our scientists are recording and collecting plants in collaboration with other botanic gardens and scientific institutions. This fieldwork underpins research on:
- How particular groups of plants have evolved and moved around the planet
- The diversity of plants growing in particular regions or countries
- The conservation of rare and threatened plant species
Universally understood plant names and a system in which to organise them are crucial to the study of plants. Our work contributes to the important goal of naming & classifying the plantlife of our planet.
People have always made use of plants. A growing number of research projects are looking at the links between plants & people.
