Silke Strickrodt - What can history tell us about living collections?
What can history tell us about living collections? The rise and demise of N. E. Brown’s Sansevieria's at Kew. Silke Strickrodt is a Botanical Horticulturist at the RBG, Kew as well as a historian specialising in the history of West Africa and Afro-European interactions.
What is the nature of living botanical collections? Are they permanent reference collections or ephemeral research collections? Silke will explore these questions using the case study of the Sansevieria collection developed at Kew Garden's in the early twentieth century, discussing factors such as the commercial interest in natural fibre, Kew’s role in the British Empire, and the part played by individual botanists. She will also highlight the importance of studying the living collections in conjunction with the Economic Botany and Herbarium collections for a better understanding of their histories. KMIS talk online & in person.
Time: 18:00 GMT
