Marc Reynders
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Scientific manager Greenhouse Collections Phone: + 32 2 260 09 88 ResearchGate | ORCID | FRIS Research Portal |
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Research interests
As scientific collection manager of the indoor living collections at Meise Botanic Garden, I am responsible for the daily data management, labeling and identification of our 10.000 taxa rich glasshouse collection as well as for exchanges of plant material with other gardens and scientific institutions.
Understanding of the basic ecology and origin of individual plant species is key to solve questions about how to bring wild plants into living ex situ collections and how to improve their cultivation. With this knowledge I support our horticultural team in taking care of our valuable collection. In addition I am involved in the development of adequate solutions and infrastructure for future-proof conservation of our collections such as the construction of the ‘Green Ark’, a new greenhouse complex that will house our potted plant collections.
Connecting people with plants and science is an another essential task of botanic gardens and is also part of my job. I contribute to the development of gardens, plant displays and information boards in Meise and also for the ‘Jardin écologique de Matébe’ in the Virunga National Park, D.R.Congo.
As a taxonomist, specialized in tropical botany I contribute my expertise to solving plant identification problems, for example by writing CITES expertise reports on plants confiscated by customs.
In the past, at Ghent University, I was involved in entangling the complex taxonomy and evolution of African sedges (Cyperaceae), specializing on the giant genus Cyperus and more specific on its satellite genus: Pycreus. I developed a passion for the scientific illustration of this magnificent plant family and still contribute line drawings to illustrate the Cyperaceae chapters of the ‘Flore d’Afrique Centrale’.
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