Current Activity

The TCD herbarium is the only one in Ireland currently active in systematic research and it is very well-equipped.
Work is focussed on two geographic areas: Europe and S.E. Asia.

Until recently, the herbarium under the curatorship of Professor D.A. Webb, was heavily involved in the study of the flora of Europe. Indeed Trinity became one of the focal points of one of the (possibly the) most important taxonomic projects yet completed; the five volume flora of Europe - Flora Europaea. Work still continues on European taxonomic problems: for example the herbarium played a leading role in the recently published revision of the first volume of Flora Europaea, and the new 7th edition of an Irish Flora is the work of its staff and an ex-student. Nevertheless, the focus of research has broadened, under the current curator Prof. J. Parnell, to include S.E. Asia, especially Thailand.

Nowadays, the herbarium is the second largest in Ireland, after the National Botanic Gardens Herbarium at Glasnevin, and contains over 250,000 specimens; current accession rates are approximately 1,700 specimens per year.