Curtis's Botanical Magazine
Published on behalf of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Edited by:
Martyn Rix
Now well over two hundred years old, Curtis's Botanical Magazine is the longest running botanical periodical featuring colour illustrations of plants. Each four-part volume of the Magazine contains 24 botanically precise plant portraits reproduced from watercolour originals by some of the world's leading botanical artists. Detailed but readable texts combine horticultural and botanical information with such topics as history, conservation and economic uses of a world-wide range of plants.
Curtis's Botanical Magazine has been published continuously since 1787 although there have been several series within the overall sequence. In 1984 the sixth series of Curtis's Botanical Magazine appeared under the banner of the Kew Magazine, a joint title which served to underline the commitment of the Royal Botanical Gardens to the continued publication of this historic periodical. In 1995 the Magazine returned to its roots and the historical and popular name Curtis's Botanical Magazine again took precedence.
Curtis's Botanical Magazine is published for the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. For more information about joining the Friends of Kew see the Friend's web site.
TopNews and Announcements
Volume 26 Parts 1 & 2 Reprint
Due to some unexpected errors that have affected the quality of reproduction of some images in the initial version of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, Volume 26 Parts 1 & 2, the decision has been made to reprint this particular issue. This republished issue now contains improvements to the line figures and colour plates that are in keeping with the high standard of illustrative reproduction associated with the journal.
***Special Double Issue - Celebrating Kew's 250th Annivesary and Darwin's Bicentenary***
In this special double issue, Sam Berry describes the close relationship between a young Charles Darwin and Joseph Hooker, one of Darwin's best friends. Berry discusses the influence of their voluminous correspondence of over 1200 letters on the progress of Darwin's thought. Click here to browse the article abstracts.
Free Online Access in the Developing World
Access to this journal is available free online within institutions in the developing world through the OARE Initiative (Online Access to Research in the Environment) in conjunction with UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme.
TopHighlights
Click on the links below to read the most downloaded articles from January to June 2009:
Biarum - Species Text
Peter Boyce
An Introduction to the Genus Lathyrus L.
Gregory Kenicer
A Taxonomic Revision of Biarum
Peter Boyce
Plant Portraits
- Pinus pungens, the Table Mountain pine of the Appalachian Mountains
- Broussonetia papyrifera, the paper mulberry, an ancient source of high-grade paper
- Eichhornia crassipes. Water hyacinth is a weed of tropical waterways but is now used as fertiliser, fodder, fuel and in paper-making
- Echeveria compressicaulis, a new species of succulent already popular as a house-plant
Feature articles
- Chiropterophily: bat-flowers and flower-bats
- Papyrus, paper and paper-making: a view of Kew's Economic Botany Collections
- Flora Ceramica: the use of Botanical Magazine illustrations on early Spode pottery
Links to Related Sites
Wiley-Blackwell Ecology
Wiley-Blackwell Plant Science
Fine Botanical Prints
