22 January 2009

Selbyana - a source for gesneriad publications


Selbyana is the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. The journal has been published annually since 1975. Through its history, Selbyana has included a wealth of papers on gesneriads including valuable contributions by Hans Wiehler and Larry Skog.

The latest issue of Selbyana (Volume 29(2), 2008) contains four papers on gesneriads featuring 5 new species descriptions. Among these are two articles that John L. and I have co-written on new species of Drymonia. There is also a great new publication by John Boggan, Larry Skog and Eric Roalson on the genera Amalophyllon, Niphaea, and Phinaea. Last but certainly not least is an editorial by Wesley Higgins (Director of Systematics at Selby Gardens and Editor, Selbyana) on "The Two John Clarks" - a must read, I must say!

Reprints are available for many published issues of Selbyana, including the current one. These vary in price depending on the issue, but average around 20-30 dollars each. Orders can be placed from the Selby Botanical Gardens Press page on Selby's website:

Selby Botanical Gardens Press


Please note that the website is not currently up to date on pricing and availability. Please contact either me or Wes Higgins (whiggins@selby.org) for current information.

Several recent issues that may be of interest to gesneriad folks are 24(1), dedicated to Hans Wiehler (including "In Memoriam: Hans Wiehler 1931-2003, by J.R. Clark), 24(2) that includes "An Annotated Checklist of Gesneriaceae Type Specimens in the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Herbarium (SEL)" by J.R. Clark, Holst and Skog, and issue 25(2) which is the "Special Issue: Gesneriaceae" featuring contributions by Skog, J.L. Clark, Chautems et al., and Roalson et al. This issue also contains the important biography on Hans Wiehler by Lee Desmon.

Finally, I would like to encourage anyone interested in the scientific side of taxonomy and tropical botany to consider subscribing to Selbyana. Annual subscriptions are $52 per year. Selbyana has been a vehicle for publishing gesneriad research, as well as important papers on bromeliads, orchids and other tropical plant groups, for over 30 years. Subscriptions help us to continue this valuable tradition. In return, Selbyana makes a great addition to any personal library focused on botany and plants. Consider having your local chapter subscribe and keeping the issues as part of your organization's library or archives.

~ John R. Clark

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