SIR JOSEPH HOOKER'S COLLECTIONS AT THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW

SIR JOSEPH HOOKER’S COLLECTIONS AT THE ROYALBOTANIC GARDENS, KEWDavid Goyder, Pat Griggs, Mark Nesbitt, Lynn Parkerand Kiri Ross-JonesIntroductionOn the December 9, 2011, just one day short of the centenary ofthe death of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, his life and work werecelebrated by over 150 participants at a conference at the RoyalBotanic Gardens, Kew. The afternoon session consisted of displaysof Sir Joseph’s collections in the Herbarium building, ranging fromherbarium specimens and economic botany to art, archives andbooks. This paper attempts to capture the experience in a morepermanent form, highlighting the quantity and quality of collectionsaccumulated during Sir Joseph’s career, both in his official role as66