Botanical Society of the British Isles
Encyclopedia
The Botanical Society of the British Isles (BSBI) is a scientific society for the study of flora, plant distribution and taxonomy relating to Great Britain
, Ireland
, the Channel Islands
and the Isle of Man
. The society was founded as the Botanical Society of London in 1836. It includes both professional and amateur members and is the largest organization devoted to botany
in the British Isles
. Its history is recounted in David Allen's book The Botanists.
The society publishes handbooks and journals, conducts national surveys and training events, and hosts conferences. It also awards grants and bursaries, sets professional standards (with Field Identification Skills Certificates (FISCs)), and works in an advisory capacity for governments and NGO's.
The society is managed by a council of elected members, and is a Registered Charity in England & Wales (212560) and Scotland (SC038675).
es covering the distribution of vascular plants in Britain and Ireland.
It publishes a newsletter
, BSBI News (ISSN 0309-930X), that is distributed to members three times a year and is available online .
The BSBI publishes a scientific periodical, New Journal of Botany (formerly Watsonia
). The journal will have a north-western European scope covering vascular plants, their taxonomy, biosystematics, ecology, distribution and conservation, as well as topics of a more general or historical nature".
The society published the Atlas of the British Flora
, the Vice-county Census Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Great Britain
in 2003, and the BSBI Handbooks series.
In more recent times, the BSBI has produced or supported the production of a number of County Rare Plant Registers, books which list all known locations for all rare plants in their county of coverage.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
and the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. The society was founded as the Botanical Society of London in 1836. It includes both professional and amateur members and is the largest organization devoted to botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. Its history is recounted in David Allen's book The Botanists.
The society publishes handbooks and journals, conducts national surveys and training events, and hosts conferences. It also awards grants and bursaries, sets professional standards (with Field Identification Skills Certificates (FISCs)), and works in an advisory capacity for governments and NGO's.
The society is managed by a council of elected members, and is a Registered Charity in England & Wales (212560) and Scotland (SC038675).
Publications
The BSBI has produced two atlasAtlas
An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a map of Earth or a region of Earth, but there are atlases of the other planets in the Solar System. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats...
es covering the distribution of vascular plants in Britain and Ireland.
It publishes a newsletter
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
, BSBI News (ISSN 0309-930X), that is distributed to members three times a year and is available online .
The BSBI publishes a scientific periodical, New Journal of Botany (formerly Watsonia
Watsonia (journal)
The botanical journal Watsonia was a publication specializing in research into the native flora of the British Isles. It was named after the nineteenth-century British phytogeographer Hewett Watson. The journal was published by the Botanical Society of the British Isles...
). The journal will have a north-western European scope covering vascular plants, their taxonomy, biosystematics, ecology, distribution and conservation, as well as topics of a more general or historical nature".
The society published the Atlas of the British Flora
Atlas of the British Flora
The Atlas of the British Flora is a book by Franklyn H. Perring and S. Max Walters, published by the Botanical Society of the British Isles.It was first published in 1962, with a second edition published in 1976, and a third in 1982....
, the Vice-county Census Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Great Britain
Vice-county Census Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Great Britain
The Vice-county Census Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Great Britain is an A5 softback book produced in 2003 by the Botanical Society of the British Isles. It attempts to present a complete picture of the vice-county distribution of vascular plant species in Great Britain, the Isle of Man, and...
in 2003, and the BSBI Handbooks series.
Handbook series
The following Handbooks have been produced, with more promised for the future.- Sedges. (3rd edition) 2007. A.C. Jermy, D.A. Simpson, M.J.Y. Foley & M.S. Porter
- Umbellifers. 1980. T.G. Tutin
- Docks and Knotweeds. 1981. J.E. Lousley & D.H. Kent
- Willows and Poplars. 1984. R.D. Meikle
- Charophytes. 1986. J.A. Moore
- Crucifers. 1991. T.C.G. Rich
- Roses. 1993. G.G. Graham & A.L. Primavesi
- Pondweeds. 1995. C.D. Preston
- Dandelions. 1997. A.A. Dudman & A.J. Richards
- Sea Beans & Nickar Nuts. 2000. E.C. Nelson
- Water-starworts of Europe. 2008. R.V. Lansdown
- Fumitories. 2009. R.J. Murphy
- Grasses. 2009. T. Cope & A. Gray
- Whitebeams, Rowans and Service Trees. 2010. T.C.G. Rich, L. Houston, A. Robertson & M.C.F. Proctor.
Publications dealing with rare plants
The BSBI, in 1991, publicly criticised the author John Fisher, for writing "A Colour Guide to Rare Wild Flowers", a book which gave details of the locations of a selection of rare plants, stating that it was not in the interests of conservation. Following this criticism, Fisher resigned his membership of the BSBI.In more recent times, the BSBI has produced or supported the production of a number of County Rare Plant Registers, books which list all known locations for all rare plants in their county of coverage.