Botanical snippets: latest news, resources, gossip and free stuff! 

From left: Clive Stace, John Bailey & Richard Gornall
Image: L. Marsh

1.End of an era: eminent botanists, including two BSBI past Presidents, gathered earlier this month to mark Dr John Bailey's retirement from the University of Leicester and to acknowledge his contributions so far to BSBI and British botany, including long service as Secretary of BSBI Meetings Committee . 

2. Annals of Botany have a special issue on pollinator-driven speciation in plants and are offering the content free for one month. If you've finished the latest issue of New Journal of Botany and want more reading material - click here for the special issue, or follow the AoB Blog  which is also listed under Blogs by BSBI members (sidebar on right) right: Pat Heslop-Harrison, Annals of Botany Editor and Chief Blogger, is - of course! - a BSBI member.  

Lime coppice in VC62
Image: M. Allen

3. Find out more about why taxonomy matters in the 21st century by reading this excellent summary from BioNET and some fascinating case studies. Click here to find out "how taxonomic knowledge is applied around the world to save LIVES, save CROPS, save HABITATS, save SPECIES, save MONEY and more..." 

4. Another new Blog by a BSBI member: this one kicks off with an interesting contribution to the recent ancient woodland debate, looking at coppicing of Tilia cordata (Small-leaved Lime) and acknowledging the invaluable contribution of Dr D Pigott, BSBI's Tilia referee and a world expert on the genus. Click here to view the Blog or find it in the list (sidebar on right) of 27 Blogs by BSBI members. 

Don't forget: any BSBI member can consult our specialist referees - we have over 100, including two beginners' referees. Access to our network of referees is yet another perk of BSBI membership!