Phanerogams

The collection of vascular plants is the most important part of the PRC collections. It contains more than 2,000,000 specimens including many thousands of nomeclatural types. Among the most important collections from the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century are the collections of F. W. Schmidt (1764-1796), T. Haenke (1761-1817) (collection processed by K. Presl, J. Presl and A. P. de Candolle), I. F. Tausch (1793-1848), F. W. Sieber (1789-1844) and K. Presl (1794-1852). The last mentioned collection considerably contributed to the knowledge of the flora of Sicilia and systematics of pteridophytes. The PRC also includes large Balkan collections of the prominent botanists J. Velenovský, G. Beck von Mannagetta, K. Vandas, J. Rohlena and F. A. Novák. Their systematic exploration of the Balkan flora started in the second half of the 19th century and lasted until the first third of the 20th century. After the creation of Czechoslovakia (1918) and during the 20th century, botanical exploration was intensified and the size of the vascular plants collection rapidly increased. During this period several noted botanists such as K. Domin, V. Krajina, J. Dostál, F. A. Novák, R. Hendrych, J. Chrtek, B. Křísa focused their activities mainly on the flora of Czechoslovakia and the Carpathians. Though the merging of the Czech and German vascular plants’ collections had been started after World War II, the Asteraceae collection, as the last family, is still not completely merged and thus accessible for research purposes. This is due to the lack of available space and technicians. In 2001-2010, J. Štěpánek, former head of the PRC collections, in collaboration with National Museum in Prague (PR), Botanical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Průhonice (PRA) and Moravian Museum in Brno (BRNM), led three research projects aimed at the digitalization of the type specimens housed in these institutions.

List of important collectors:

L. Adamović, C. G. Baenitz, B. Balansa, A. Baldacci, J. Barth, J. A. Battandier, J. C. G. Baumgarten, G. Beck, A. Becker, C. G. Bertero, A. Bertoloni, C. Billot, I. Blanche, B. Blocki, C. Blom, C. L. Blume, P. Boccone, P. E. Boissier, V. Borbás, H. Bordére, J. F. N. Bornmüller, E. Bourgeau, A. Bracht, H. Braun, J. Brym, P. Bubani, J. Bubela, O. Buchtigen, A. Bunge, A. S. Callier, A. P. de Candolle, H. Cumming, A. H. Curtiss, A. Degen, M. Deyl, P. A. Deseglise, R. Desfontaines, N. Deseoulavy, N. A. Desvaux, K. Domin, I. Dörfler, J. Dostál, J. F. Drege, C. F. Ecklon, H. F. A. von Eggers, P. A. C. Endress, B. A. Fedtschenko, F. Fiala, K. Fiebrig, N. Filarszky, A. Fiori, F. Firbas, F. E. L. Fischer, J. F. Freyn, F. E. Friwaldszky, M. Gandoger, S. G. Gmelin, A. Gray, J. C. M. Grenier, A. H. R. Grisebach, G. Gussone, T. Haenke, E. Halacsy, H. C. Hausknecht, A. Hayek, F. A. Hazslinsky, T. Heldreich, J. W. Helfer, R. F. Hohenacker, J. Ľ. Holuby, D. H. Hoppe, P. Hora, R. Huter, A. Chevalier, J. Chrtek, M. Jabornegg, G. Jan, E. Janchen, V. Janka, J. E. Kabát, G. S. Karelin, F. Karo, A. Kerner, J. Klika, A. Kmeť, J. Knaf, J. A. Kneucker, F. Kohaut, V. F. Kosteletzky, T. Kotschy, V. Krajina, M. Král, B. Křísa, A. F. Láng, H. Laus, C. F. Ledebour, O. Leonhardt, J. Lhotsky, V. J. Lipsky, F. Loscos, C. Magnier, F. Maloch, J. K. Maly, V. Mann, A. Margittai, F. A. Marschall v. Bieberstein, F. Marie-Victorin, C. Marchesetti, E. D. Merril, A. C. Mayer, J. C. Mikan, A. Musil, R. C. Muschler, F. A. Novák, A. Oborny, P. M. Opiz, T. Orphanides, J. Palacký, P. S. Pallas, J. Pančić, F. Petrak, Th. Pichler, A. Pilát, J. Podpěra, E. F. Poepigg, J. E. Pohl, K. Polák, C. Pontarlier, E. Pospichal, P. Porta, F. Portenschlag, K. Preis, J. S. Presl, K. B. Presl, C. G. Pringle, E. Pritzel, A. Regel, F. Reinecke, E. Reverchon, H. G. L. Reichenbach, G. Rigo, K. Richter, J. Rohlena, R. Rohrer, A. Rochel, H. Ross, L. Rossi, K. Rudolph, V. Schiffner, W. Schimper, R. Schlechter, F.W. Schmidt, F. Schultz, J.F. Schur, M. Servít, F. W. Sieber, W. Siehe, P. Sillinger, P. Sintenis, V. Skalický, J. Sterneck, C. Steven, A. Stolz, G. Strobl, V. Stříbrný, H. Škorpil, M. Šourková, I. F. Tausch, F. Tempsky, M. Tenore, A. Todaro, A. Toepfer, L. Trabut, S. Trapl, R. Traxler, N. Turczaninow, H. Türckheim, R. Uechtritz, E. H. G. Ule, J. Ullepitsch, I. K. Urumoff, K. Vandas, J. Velenovský, G. Vidal, J. Vilhelm, R. Visiani, V. Vraný, J. Wagner, F. A. Waldstein, N. Wallich, F. Weber, R. Wettstein, P. Wierzbitzki, J. B. Wiesbauer, M. Willkomm, P. W. Wirtgen, J. Zahlbruckner, K. H. Zahn, C. L. P. Zeyher.