South London Botanical Institute
Encyclopedia
The South London Botanical Institute was founded in 1910 by Allan Octavian Hume
, a former civil servant for the British Raj
in India
. After returning to England
in 1894 Hume turned his attention to horticulture
, which eventually led him to create the Institute in a large Victorian house in Norwood Road, near Tulse Hill
, South London
, to provide an environment where anyone interested in plants, whether amateur or professional, could meet to develop their knowledge of botany
.
The institute's library has an extensive collection of botanical books, monographs and journals. The institute also has an extensive herbarium
with a collection of dried, pressed plants from Britain and Europe, mounted on sheets accompanied by collecting details, to help members name or identify plants correctly. There is an active programme of talks, practical courses, and field excursions.
It maintains a small botanic garden containing examples of over 500 species.
Allan Octavian Hume
Allan Octavian Hume was a civil servant, political reformer and amateur ornithologist in British India. He was one of the founders of the Indian National Congress, a political party that was later to lead the Indian independence movement...
, a former civil servant for the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. After returning to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1894 Hume turned his attention to horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, which eventually led him to create the Institute in a large Victorian house in Norwood Road, near Tulse Hill
Tulse Hill
Tulse Hill is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in South London, England. It lies to the south of Brixton, east of Brixton Hill, north of West Norwood and west of West Dulwich.-History:...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, to provide an environment where anyone interested in plants, whether amateur or professional, could meet to develop their knowledge of 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...
.
The institute's library has an extensive collection of botanical books, monographs and journals. The institute also has an extensive herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
with a collection of dried, pressed plants from Britain and Europe, mounted on sheets accompanied by collecting details, to help members name or identify plants correctly. There is an active programme of talks, practical courses, and field excursions.
It maintains a small botanic garden containing examples of over 500 species.