Read about the expedition, see preliminary results, and visit the Belize Zoo and Belize Botanic Garden online
The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (MSBG) Center for Tropical Plant Science & Conservation is dedicated to the inventory and 
classification of tropical plants, with emphasis on epiphytes and the conservation of their habitats. Epiphytes are plants that live upon other plants. They do not have roots in the ground. The Gardens extensive living and preserved plant collections, and photographic and bibliographic collections provide a rich environment for conducting botanical research.
SPECIALIZED PLANT CENTERS
Orchid Identification Center (OIC)
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The OIC was established in 1975, to study wild-collected and conservatory-grown species orchids and to serve as a center for their identification. The OIC is a recognized center for confirming identities of orchids that are award winners of the American Orchid Society. The Center provides plant identifications to institutions and individuals from around the world. |
Mulford B. Foster Bromeliad Identification Center (BIC)
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The BIC was established in 1979, in honor of Mulford B. Foster, one of the world's leading bromeliad collectors. It is supported by local and international bromeliad societies. The goal of the BIC is to serve as a source of information for individuals, institutions, and societies on horticultural and botanical aspects of the Bromeliaceae. |
Gesneriad Projects and Information
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With the addition of the Gesneriad Research Foundation's herbarium and spirit collection to Selby Gardens in 2002, Gesneriaceae became a third center of plant family focus. The goal of the Gesneriad project is to collect as much information on this family as possible in order to become a world-class resource center on this beautiful and interesting plant family. |
FIELD RESEARCH PROJECTS
Current staff research focus is on New World tropical plant exploration and classification, with emphasis on epiphytes (especially Bromeliaceae, Orchidaceae, and Gesneriaceae). Projects over the past five years have taken staff to Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
Click for South America or Central America/Caribbean project maps
SELBY COLLECTIONS
Living Collection. Nearly 200 expeditions to the tropics and subtropics have contributed to the MSBG collections of more than 12,500 accessions of documented live plants, which include some 6,000 species in 1,200 genera from 214 plant families. The living collection is a scientific resource. It also provides source material for progams of Education, the Tropical Display House, and the entire Gardens.
Herbarium (SEL). The herbarium consists of approximately 95,000 specialized collections of tropical flora, largely neotropical, with an emphasis on epiphytes. The herbarium is open for study to visiting scientists and students. Loans are available internationally to recognized institutions, generally for a period of one year with renewal upon request. The flora of Ecuador and epiphytic flora of the Andes are well represented.
Spirit Collection. The Spirit Collection contains nearly 28,000 vials of mostly orchid flowers in preservative fluids, along with several thousand gesneriad specimens, making it the second largest such collection in the world.
Research Library. This specialized botanical library deals primarily with tropical plants, especially epiphytes. The library houses approximately 7,000 volumes, including a rare book collecgtion dating to the late 1700s, 14,000 issues of scientific journals, 2,500 microfiche of early botanical references and herbaria, a photographic slide collection, an illustration file, a map file, and the Gardens historical archives. This collection has an mphasis on areas of plant systematics, floristics, horticulture, morphology, ecology, economic botany, and evolution.
PUBLICATIONS
Selby Botanical Gardens Press. SBG Press publishes scientific and popular books that fit the mission of Selby Gardens. This literature is devoted to tropical plants with emphasis on epiphytes and their forest canopy habitats. Long-term publication series include the research journal Selbyana and the orchid publication Icones Plantarum Tropicarum.
Selby Vignettes. These short articles authored by staff botanists are available for publication in plant society journals and newsletters.
OUTREACH
Special Events. Selby Gardens initiates conferences and workshops on tropical botanical research and conservation. A symposium on epiphyte biology and horticulture was held at Selby in 1985; a second international symposium on the biology and conservation of epiphytes was held in 1991; orchid conservation in 1997, and the first and second international forest canopy symposia were held in 1994 and 1998, respectively. The most recent conference, the second International Orchid Conservation Congress was held at the Gardens in May, 2004. More than 100 scientist and conservationists from 21 countries attended.
The Gardens also hosts meetings, seminars, and conferences for information exchange among scientists, horticulturists, Gardens members, and for the public. Various plant societies are hosted regularly by the Gardens, including the Bromeliad Society, the Orchid Society, the Sarasota Fern Society, and the Native Plant Society.
Education. The research staff contributes to the education program of Selby Gardens by offering public lectures and courses at the Gardens, in the local community, and at professional meetings. It also contributes by providing expertise for interpretive displays and at Plant Fairs. Graduate and undergraduate students participate in the research program at the Gardens as assistants and interns.
STAFF
Staff Listing. A team of six dedicated individuals provide the scientific and curatorial expertise essential in maintaining the Gardens as a first class botanical institution.
Adjunct Staff. To broaden and strengthen the publication base and research efforts of the Gardens, a number of scientists are appointed as Senior Scientists, Research Associates, and Editorial Board members for a limited period of time. They serve by reviewing articles and research proposals, providing scientific expertise, offering occasional seminars at the Gardens, and collaborating with the Gardens' staff on research projects.
Volunteers. More than 30 volunteers play a key role in assisting with the Centers functions, particularly in the areas of specimen preparation and documentation.
For more information about the Center for Tropical Plant Science & Conservation, contact
Bruce Holst
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
811 South Palm Avenue
Sarasota, Florida 34236 USA
Phone: (941) 366-5731 x312
Fax: (941) 951-1474
bholst@selby.org