Seed Lists of the Nineteenth Century

It is customary for botanical gardens to prepare seed lists for exchange. Lists from the 19th century often included descriptions and notes. Printed in limited quantities, remaining seed lists are rare and no library has a complete set. The National Herbarium of the Netherlands has created a database of the lists and associated descriptions.

The database is a work in progress. Many herbarium libraries have contributed copies of lists from their collections. Some lists were published in scientific journals. Copies of these are also being added to the database.

The searchable database is a useful tool for the study of botanical nomenclature and the history of horticulture.

Link: Guide to the plant species descriptions published in seed lists from Botanic Gardens for the period 1800 - 1900. from the National Herbarium of the Netherlands

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 4:15 PM on March 10, 2005

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