Skip to main content
Log in

125 years of floristic research and collecting at The New York Botanical Garden

  • Published:
Brittonia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As part of The New York Botanical Garden’s 125th anniversary, a summary of floristic research by NYBG staff is presented. The first 50 years of the Garden were extremely productive and resulted in floras covering most of the United States and Canada. The focus of research at the Garden shifted to the Neotropics and diversified, especially in northern South America and Brazil, and continues to thrive.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Aguilar, R., X. Cornejo, C. V. Bainbridge, M. Tulig & S. A. Mori. 2008 onward. Vascular Plants of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. http://sweetgum.nybg.org/osa/index.php. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. Accessed 15 Jan 2016.

  • Amorim, A. M., W. W. Thomas, A. M. de Carvalho & J. G. Jardim. 2008. Floristics of the Una Biological Reserve, Bahia, Brazil. In: W. Thomas (ed.), The Atlantic Coastal Forest of Northeastern Brazil. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 100: 67–146.

  • Archives and Manuscript Collections, New York Botanical Garden. Continuously updated. http://sciweb.nybg.org/science2/libr/finding_guide/index.asp.html. Accessed 15 Jan 2016.

  • Balick, M. J., M. H. Nee & D. E. Atha. 2000. Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Belize. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 85: 1–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbosa, M. R. V., W. W. Thomas, E. L. P. Zârate, R. B. Lima, I. B. Lima, M. C. R. Pessoa, A. R. L. Lourenço, G. C. Delgado Júnior, R. A. S. Pontes, E. C. O. Chagas, J. L. Viana, P. C. Gadelha Neto, C. M. L. R. Araújo, A. A. M. Araújo, G. B. Freitas, J. R. Lima, F. O. Silva, L. A. F. Vieira, L. A. Pereira, R. M. T. Costa, R. C. Duré & M. G. V. Sá. 2011. Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Guaribas Biological Reserve, Paraíba, Brazil. Revista Nordestina de Biologia 20(2) 81–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boom, B. M. 1996. Botanical Expeditions of The New York Botanical Garden. Brittonia 48: 297–307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———, W. R. Buck, C. A. Gracie & M. Tulig. 2008 onward. Plants and Lichens of St. Eustatius. http://sweetgum.nybg.org/st_eustatius/index.php. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. Accessed 15 Jan 2016.

  • Brazil Flora Group. 2015. Growing knowledge: an overview of Seed Plant diversity in Brazil. Rodriguésia 66(4): DOI: 10.1590/2175-7860201566411

  • Brewer-Carias, C. (ed.) 1988. Cerro de la Neblina: resultados de la Expedición 1983–1987. Fundación para el Desarrollo de las Ciencias Físicas, Matemáticas y Naturales, Caracas.

  • Britton, N. L. 1901. Manual of the flora of the Northern States and Canada. Henry Holt and Co., New York.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1918a. Flora of Bermuda. Illustrated. C. Scribner's sons, New York. 585 pp.

  • ———. 1918b. The Flora of the American Virgin Islands. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Memoirs 1: 19–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • ——— & A. Brown. 1896–98. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British possessions, from Newfoundland to the parallel of the southern boundary of Virginia, and from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the 102d meridian. Vol. 1. Ophioglossaceae to Polygonaceae; ferns to carpet-weed. 1896. Vol. 2 Portulacaceae to Menyanthaceae; portulaca to buckbean. 1897. Vol. 3. Apocynaceae to Compositae; dogbane to thistle. 1898. Charles Scribner’s, New York.

  • ——— & C. F. Millspaugh. 1920. The Bahama flora. Published by the authors, New York. 695 pp.

  • ——— & P. Wilson. 1923–1930. Botany of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Descriptive flora, Spermatophyta. New York Academy of Sciences, News York (1923) 5: 7–158, (1924) 5: 159–316, 5: 317–474, (1925) 6: 1–158, 6: 159–316, (1926) 6: 317–371, (1930) 6: 523–663.

  • Buck, W. R. 1996. Bryology at The New York Botanical Garden, past and present. Brittonia 48: 399–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2003. Guide to the Plants of Central French Guiana, Part 3. Mosses. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 76(3): 1–167.

    Google Scholar 

  • ——— & R. F. C. Naczi (eds.). 2013. Harmony and Grit: Papers celebrating the Holmgrens’ completion of the Intermountain Flora. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 108: 1–290.

  • Cronquist, A., A. H. Holmgren, N. H. Holmgren & J. L. Reveal. 1972. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Volume 1. Geological and botanical history of the region, its plant geography and a glossary. The vascular cryptogams and the gymnosperms. Hafner Publishing Co., New York. 270 pp.

  • ———, ———, ———, ——— & P.K. Holmgren. 1977. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Volume 6. The Monocotyledons. Columbia University Press, New York. 584 pp.

  • ———, ———, ———, ——— & ———. 1984. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Volume 4. Subclass Asteridae (except Asteraceae). The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY. 573 pp.

  • ———, ———, ———, ——— & ———. 1989. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Volume 3B. Fabales, by Rupert C. Barneby. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY. 279 pp.

  • ———, ———, ———, ——— & ———. 1994. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Volume 5. Asterales, by Arthur Cronquist. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY. 496 pp.

  • ———, N. H. Holmgren & P.K. Holmgren. 1997. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Volume 3A. Subclass Rosidae (except Fabales). New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY. 446 pp.

  • Daly, D. C, P. V. A. Fine & M. C. Martínez-Habibe. 2012. Burseraceae: a model for studying the Amazon flora. Rodriguésia 63: 21–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S2175-78602012000100002.

  • ——— & M. Silveira. 2008. First Catalogue of the Flora of Acre, Brazil/Primeiro Catálogo da Flora do Acre, Brasil.

  • Forero, E. & S. A. Mori. 1995. The Organization for Flora Neotropica. Brittonia 47: 379–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fraser, S. 1996. Collectors’ Field Notebooks at The New York Botanical Garden. Brittonia 48: 308–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gleason, H. A. 1926. The plants of Michigan; simple keys for the identification of the native seed plants of the state. G. Wahr, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  • ———. 1947. Plants of the vicinity of New York. New York Botanical Garden, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1952. The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. 3 vols. Illustrated. Hafner Publishing Co., New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1996. Early Years at The New York Botanical Garden. Brittonia 48: 318–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ——— & A. Cronquist. 1963. Manual of vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. Princeton, N.J., Van Nostrand. 810 pp.

  • ——— & ———. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, 2nd edition. New York Botanical Garden, New York. 910 pp.

  • Gradstein, S. R. & A. L. Ilkiu-Borges. 2009. Guide to the Plants of Central French Guiana, Part 3. Liverworts and Hornworts. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 76(4): 1–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hitchcock, C. L. & A. Cronquist. 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest; an illustrated manual. University of Washington Press, Seattle. 730 pp.

  • ———, ———, M. Ownbey & J. W. Thompson. 1969. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest, Part 1: Vascular Cryptogams, Gymnosperms, and Monocotyledons, by C. L. Hitchcock, A. Cronquist, and M. Ownbey. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———, ———, ——— & ———. 1964. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest, Part 2: Salicaceae to Saxifragaceae, by C. L. Hitchcock and A. Cronquist. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———, ———, ——— & ———. 1961. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest, Part 3: Saxifragaceae to Ericaeae by C. L. Hitchcock and A. Cronquist. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———, ———, ——— & ———. 1959. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest, Part 4: Ericaceae through Campanulaceae by C. L. Hitchcock, A. Cronquist, and M. Ownbey. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———, ———, ——— & ———. 1955. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest, Part 5: Compositae, by A. Cronquist. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmgren, N. H. 1998. Illustrated companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual: illustrations of the vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ———, P. K. Holmgren & A. Cronquist. 2005. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Volume 2B. Subclass Dilleniidae. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY. 488 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———, ———, J. L. Reveal & Collaborators. 2012. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Volume 2A. Subclasses Magnoliidae-Caryophyllidae. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY. 729 pp.

  • Holmgren, P. K, J. A. Kallunki, & B. M. Thiers. 1996. A short description of the collections of The New York Botanical Garden Herbarium (NY). Brittonia 48: 285–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, H. S. 1996. Memories of The New York Botanical Garden, 1960 – 1980. Brittonia 48: 365–371.

  • Jørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck (eds.). 2014. Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares de Bolivia. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127 (1/2): 1–1741.

  • Luteyn, J. L. 1983. Ericaceae—Part 1. Cavendishia. Flora Neotropica 35: 1–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1999. Páramos: a checklist of plant diversity, geographical distribution, and botanical literature. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 84: 1–278.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. (ed.). 1995. Ericaceae—Part 2. The Superior-ovaried Genera. Flora Neotropica 66: 1–560.

  • Maguire, B. & C. K. Maguire. 1996. The lost worlds of Guayana: a search into their origins and history. Brittonia 48: 346–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merrill, E. D. 1938. Biographical Memoir of Nathaniel Lord Britton. National Academy of Sciences, Biographical Memoirs 19 – 5th Memoir: 147–202.

  • Mickel, J. T. & J. M. Beitel. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 46: 1–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • ——— & A. R. Smith. 2004. The Pteridophytes of Mexico. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 88: 1–1054.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mori, S. A. 1992. Neotropical floristics and inventory: Who will do the work? Brittonia 44: 372–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———, A Berkov, C. A. Gracie & E. E Hecklau (eds.). 2011. Tropical Plant Collecting: From the Field to the Internet. TECC Editora, Florianopolis, Brazil.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———, B. M. Boom, A. M. Carvalho & T. S. dos Santos. 1983. Southern Bahian Moist Forests. Bot. Rev. 49: 155–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———, W. R. Buck, C. A Gracie & M. Tulig. 2008 onward. Plants and Lichens of Saba. http://sweetgum.nybg.org/saba/index.html. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. Accessed 15 Jan., 2016.

  • ———, C. Gracie, J. Mitchell, J.-J. de Granville & G. Cremers (eds.). 1997. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Central French Guiana, Part 1. Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Monocotyledons. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 76(1): 1–422

  • ———, ———, ———, ——— & ——— (eds.). 2002. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Central French Guiana, Part 2. Dicotyledons. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 76(2): 1–776.

  • ——— & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae—Part 2: The Zygomorphic-flowered New World Genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Flora Neotropica 21(2): 1–376.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———, M. Tulig, J.-J. Granville, S. González & V. Guerin. 2007 onward. French Guianan e-Flora Project. The New York Botanical Garden and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (http://sweetgum.nybg.org/fg/). (accessed 15 Feb. 2016)

  • Myers, N., R. A. Mittermeier, C. G. Mittermeier, G. A. B. da Fonseca & J. Kent. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priority. Nature 403: 853–858.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Naczi, R. 2016, this issue. New manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. Brittonia 68(3).

  • Nee, M. H. 2004. Flora de la Región del Parque Nacional Amboró, Bolivia. Volume 2. Magnoliidae, Hamamelidae, Caryophyllidae. Editorial FAN, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2008. Flora de la Región del Parque Nacional Amboró, Bolivia. Volume 3. Dilleniidae. Editorial FAN, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2007 onward. Flora de la Región del Parque Nacional Amboró, Bolivia, Checklist to the Flora. http://www.nybg.org/botany/nee/ambo/List.html. Accessed 15 Jan 2016.

  • Nusbaumer, L., M. R. V. Barbosa, W. W. Thomas, M. V. Alves, P.-A. Loizeau & R. Spichiger. 2015. Flora e vegetação da Reserva Biológica de Pedra Talhada. In: Studer, A., L. Nusbaumer & R. Spichiger (Eds.). Biodiversidade da Reserva Biológica de Pedra Talhada (Alagoas, Pernambuco, Brasil). Boissiera 68: 59–121.

  • Prance, G. T. 1996. A quarter century at The New York Botanical Garden. Brittonia 48: 379–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2014. That Glorious Forest: Exploring the Plants and Their Indigenous Uses in Amazonia. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 113: 1–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • ——— & S. A. Mori. 1979. Lecythidaceae—Part 1: The Actinomorphic-flowered New World Lecythidaceae. Flora Neotropica 21(1): 1–270.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———, B. W. Nelson, M. F. da Silva & D. C. Daly. 1984. Projeto Flora Amazônica: Eight years of binational expeditions. Acta Amazônica Suppl. 14(1/2): 5–29.

  • Ramon, L. & C. Sam. 2016. Remarkable Plants of Vanuatu/Plantes Remarquables du Vanuatu. New York botanical Garden Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogerson, C. T. & G. J. Samuels. 1996. Mycology at The New York Botanical Garden, 1895–1995. Brittonia 48: 389–398.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rydberg, P. A. 1900. Catalogue of the flora of Montana and the Yellowstone National Park. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 1: 1–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1906. Flora of Colorado. Bulletin of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station 100: 1–448.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1917. Flora of the Rocky Mountains and adjacent plains: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and neighboring parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, and British Columbia. Published by the author, New York.

  • ———. 1932. Flora of the prairies and plains of central North America. The New York Botanical Garden, New York. 969 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Small, J. K. 1903. Flora of the southeastern United States; being descriptions of the seed-plants, ferns and fern-allies growing naturally in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and the Indian territory and in Oklahoma and Texas east of the one-hundredth meridian. Published by the author, New York. 1370 pp.

  • Sklenář, P., J. L. Luteyn, C. Ulloa Ulloa, P. M. Jørgensen & M. O. Dillon. 2005. Flora Genérica de los Páramos: Guía Ilustrada de las Plantas Vasculares. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 92: 1–499.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tan, K. Flora-writing exemplified by classical, conservational and unconventional methods. 2004, Turkish Journal of Botany 28: 175–182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thiers, B. M., M. C. Tulig & K. A. Watson. 2016, this issue. Digitization of The New York Botanical Garden Herbarium. Brittonia 68(3).

  • Thomas, W. W. 2005. Flora Neotropica – Monographs as Inventories. In: Species Plantarum 250 years: Proceedings of the Species plantarum symposium held in Uppsala August 22–24, 2003. Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, Symbolae Botanicae Upsalienses 33: 187–192.

  • ———, A. M. de Carvalho, A. M. A. Amorim, J. Garrison & T. S. dos Santos. 2008. Diversity of Woody Plants in the Atlantic Coastal Forest of Southern Bahia, Brazil. In: W. Thomas (ed.), The Atlantic Coastal Forest of Northeastern Brazil. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 100: 21–66.

  • ——— & M. Tulig. 2015. Hard Copy to Digital: Flora Neotropica and the World Flora Online. Rodriguésia 66(4). DOI: 10.1590/2175-7860201566404.

Download references

Acknowledgments

While the focus of this paper has been on the accomplishments of the Garden’s scientific staff, little of the field work and publication presented here would have been possible without the collaboration of local partners (especially those in other countries), other specialists, and support staff. The author would like to thank Elizabeth Kiernan for producing the succinct and informative map of North American floras (Fig. 1) and Noel and Patricia Holmgren for advice on the text, maps, flora ranges, and staff history.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to William Wayt Thomas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Thomas, W.W. 125 years of floristic research and collecting at The New York Botanical Garden. Brittonia 68, 222–229 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-016-9413-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-016-9413-9

Key Words

Navigation