Contributions to Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland (B.S.B.I.)

Chris Chadwell botanizing on 'Borth' Bog near Aberystwyth during a Botanical Tour 2012

(see: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/botanical-tour-wales-2012

I have decided to add details of various contributions I made to what was previously the Botanical Society of the British Isles:

ANNUAL EXHIBITION MEETING 1985 (held at the British Museum [Natural History] London)

Exhibition (held in General Herbarium)

I staged a small exhibit of herbarium specimens loaned for the day from the main herbarium, entitled SOME MORE BRITISH SPECIES FROM THE WESTERN HIMALAYA:

Achillea millefolium collected by Polunin in 1956; Adoxa moschatellina var. inodora collected by Duthie in 1892; Campanula latifolia collected by Ludlow & Sherriff in 1940; Dactylis glomerata collected by Polunin in 1956; Hippuris vulgaris collected by Zino in 1978; Lotus corniculatus collected by Polunin in 1956; Oxyria digyna collected by the Southampton University Botanical Expedition to Zangskar in 1981; Veronica beccabunga collected by Robson in 1971.

One unfavourable comment was made, wondering why I wasted my time showing "boring" species! So much for senior members of a society encouraging younger members to contribute. One should view such ignorant people with contempt.... I, unlike he, had made the effort to prepare an exhibit (I utilised pressed specimens from the main herbaria, which had been collected in the Himalaya - no doubt such people as him would have criticised the famous collectors for 'wasting' their time gathering specimens in the Himalaya, which were also found in the UK; of course had he been there, he could no doubt have told them so at the time). What a supercilious, not to mention ignorant twit because the less noteworthy species are of importance within floras and those who have not had (made) the opportunity to travel as extensively as I, may well not appreciate matters of distribution and plant geography. Perhaps the are just jealous and petty. Sadly, I have encountered that a number of times in my life.... It was down to the likes of Arthur Chater at the Natural History Museum herbarium, who was so friendly and welcoming to all - whether top visiting Professor or more junior figures like myself, that I had the confidence to contribute to two exhibition meetings (the other was on the Riverside Vegetation of the Upper Wye, Upper Severn and Upper Usk, when I also showed slides). Such exhibitions need exhibits including the 'minor' ones by those who are not senior members. Prevalence of such members as this one are a recipe for the societies to close!

To be continued.