Sustainable glasshouses

The Botanic Cottage

A brief history of The Botanic Cottage The Botanic Cottage originally stood at the entrance to a long lost incarnation of the Botanics, across the city on Leith Walk. It was built in 1764-5, and designed by the renowned architects John Adam and…

Former Students

Digitisation

Our specimen data and images can be downloaded for free from the online catalogue, including full resolution TIFFs of specimens. All specimen images and data have a CC-0 licence. We have now completed the digitisation of all type specimens, plus…

Bryophytes

Bryophytes are the oldest land plants on earth, and have been around for 400 million years or more. Although small, they can be very conspicuous growing as extensive mats in woodland, as cushions on walls, rocks and tree trunks, and as pioneer…

Contemporary Illustrations Collection

Nature Printed Illustrations

Dr David Harris, Herbarium Curator and Deputy Director of Science

My role is to run the herbarium of 3 million specimens held in Edinburgh. I am also Deputy Director of Science. My research is focused on the plants from the forests of central Africa. I teach on the MSc in Plant Biodiversity and Taxonomy and…

Dr Elspeth Haston, Deputy Herbarium Curator

My experience is in taxonomic research, curation systems and digitisation. My work has included the development of tools, processes and workflows to aid with curation in herbaria. My current focus is on large-scale digitisation, including looking…

Dr Stephan Helfer

I do research on parasitic microfungi, their biodiversity, taxonomy and distribution.  I am interested in fungus-plant interactions and their effect on natural communities. I mainly use microscopic techniques for identification and basic…