英国皇家植物园邱园（Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew）创办于1759年，是一座拥有超过250年历史的传奇植物研究机构。这座世界闻名的植物园坐落于英国伦敦泰晤士河畔，现已发展成为全球植物与真菌科学领域的核心权威机构。邱园的使命清晰而深远：致力于理解并保护植物与真菌，为人类福祉和地球所有生命的未来服务。邱园正努力终结物种灭绝危机，推动创建一个人类尊重并可持续管理自然的世界。
专业植物与真菌数据库
邱园拥有并运营着多个国际领先的专业植物与真菌数据库，这些数据库是全球植物分类学研究和生物多样性保护的重要基础设施。
国际植物名称索引（IPNI） 是全球植物命名信息的权威数据库，为植物学名的标准使用提供可靠参考。世界植物在线（POWO） 则整合了全球维管植物的分布与分类数据，用户可在线查询超过13万种植物的详细信息。维管植物世界名录（WCVP） 是邱园多年心血的结晶，收录了全球所有已知维管植物的名称与分类信息。
在真菌学领域，Index Fungorum 和 Species Fungorum 是全球真菌分类学家的核心工作平台，收录了海量真菌名称与分类数据。此外，药用植物名称服务（MPNS） 专门收录药用植物的规范名称与用途信息，为医学研究与传统医学现代化提供重要参考。邱园还维护着植物标本馆目录和活体收藏数据库，为研究人员提供便捷的数字化学术资源检索渠道。
科学研究能力
邱园聚集了超过800位科学家在内的1400余名专业员工，组建了七大核心研究领域的研究团队，在植物与真菌科学的最前沿开展深入探索。
保护科学与生物多样性评估 是邱园的核心研究方向之一，科学家们致力于评估物种濒危状况并制定有效的保护策略。种子保存与储藏技术 研究团队专注于种子生理学与超低温保存技术，确保珍稀植物种质资源能够长期安全保存。生态系统管理与原地保护 研究则关注自然栖息地的管理与恢复，致力于在原生环境中保护生物多样性。
此外，邱园还开展性状多样性与功能研究，探索植物形态与生态功能之间的关联；数字收藏与数据数字化 团队将数百万份标本转化为可检索的数字资源；加速植物与真菌分类学 研究旨在加速全球物种分类与命名工作；植物遗传学与分子研究 则从基因层面揭示植物的进化与适应性机制。
专业资源与学术平台
邱园的专业资源在全球植物学界首屈一指，为科学研究与学术交流提供了坚实的物质基础。
邱园植物标本馆收藏了约700万份干燥植物标本，是全球最大、最完整的植物标本收藏之一。这些珍贵的标本承载着数百年来的植物多样性记录，为分类学研究和物种鉴定提供了不可替代的实物依据。与此同时，邱园还收藏了125万份干燥真菌标本，构成了全球最重要的真菌学标本收藏体系。两者合计约850万份生物标本。
千年种子库 是邱园最引以为傲的全球性合作项目，也是世界上规模最大的种子银行。该项目与全球400多家机构建立合作，已成功保存了超过4.6万种植物的种子（约25万份样本，涵盖190个国家），为应对气候变化和生物多样性丧失提供了关键的种质资源保障。邱园定期发布的《世界植物与真菌状况》报告 是全球生物多样性研究领域的重要参考文献，为政策制定者和研究人员提供了权威的全球植物多样性评估。
邱园出版《邱园通报》（Kew Bulletin） 等学术期刊，以及大量科学出版物，形成了完整的学术传播体系。《邱园科学出版物库》则整合了邱园科学家们的研究成果，供全球研究者免费获取。数字标本记录与数据门户的建立，更让这些珍贵资源能够被全球学者便捷地访问与利用。
教育与培训
邱园不仅是世界级的研究机构，也是一座重要的植物科学教育平台，为培养下一代植物学家和保护工作者倾注了大量资源。
邱园提供系统的硕士与博士培养项目，与多所国际知名大学合作开设植物学、保护科学、园艺学等领域的学位课程。现有81名硕士生与135名博士生在邱园接受顶尖科学家的指导，参与前沿研究项目，获得宝贵的实践经验。
实习生计划 是邱园教育体系的重要组成部分，每年接收来自世界各地的实习生，为他们提供在真实科研环境中学习和成长的机会。此外，邱园还组织各种公开讲座、专题研讨会和公众教育活动，将植物科学知识传播给更广泛的受众群体。
特色亮点
邱园以其卓越的学术成就、丰富的收藏资源和深厚的历史底蕴，在全球植物园中占据独特地位。
UNESCO世界遗产 是对邱园历史与科学价值的高度认可。2003年，邱园因其独特的景观设计、历史建筑和卓越的植物收藏，被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录，成为全球首个获此殊荣的植物园。
邱园拥有全球最大的种子库——千年种子库，这一成就使其在植物保护领域具有不可替代的地位。该种子库不仅保存着海量的植物遗传资源，更代表着人类为应对未来环境挑战而进行的未雨绸缪。截至目前，千年种子库已保存来自190个国家、超过4.6万种植物的种子，约占全球种子植物的16%。
邱园每年吸引约270万名游客前往邱园和韦克赫斯特（Wakehurst）参观，感受这座植物学圣殿的魅力。邱园科学家年均发表学术论文引用达7.45万次，体现了其在全球植物科学界的影响力。
邱园与全球400多家机构建立了正式合作关系，形成了覆盖六大洲的国际合作网络。这一庞大的合作体系使邱园的影响力延伸至世界每个角落，推动全球植物多样性保护事业的协同发展。
了解详情
更多详细信息请访问www.kew.org。
UK Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – The World’s Largest Plant Database and Millennium Seed Bank
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was founded in 1759, making it a legendary botanical institution with over 250 years of history. Located on the banks of the Thames River in London, United Kingdom, Kew has grown into the world’s premier authority on plant and fungal science. Kew’s mission is clear and profound: to understand and protect plants and fungi for the wellbeing of people and the future of all life on Earth. Kew aspires to end the extinction crisis and help create a world where nature is protected, valued, and managed sustainably.
Professional Plant and Fungal Databases
Kew operates and maintains several internationally leading professional plant and fungal databases, which serve as critical infrastructure for global botanical taxonomic research and biodiversity conservation.
The International Plant Names Index (IPNI) is the authoritative database for global plant nomenclature, providing reliable reference for standardized use of scientific plant names. Plants of the World Online (POWO) integrates global distribution and classification data for vascular plants, allowing users to search detailed information on more than 130,000 plant species. The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) represents decades of Kew’s meticulous work, cataloguing names and classification information for all known vascular plants worldwide.
In mycology, Index Fungorum and Species Fungorum serve as core working platforms for fungal taxonomists globally, containing vast repositories of fungal names and classification data. Additionally, the Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS) specializes in standardized names and uses of medicinal plants, providing essential reference for medical research and modernization of traditional medicine. Kew also maintains the Herbarium Catalogue and Living Collections Database, offering researchers convenient access to digitized scholarly resources.
Scientific Research Capabilities
Kew brings together over 800 scientists among more than 1,400 professional staff members, organized into research teams across seven core areas, pushing the boundaries of plant and fungal science.
Conservation Science and Biodiversity Assessment is one of Kew’s core research directions, with scientists dedicated to evaluating species extinction risk and developing effective conservation strategies. Seed Conservation and Storage Technology focuses on seed physiology and cryopreservation techniques, ensuring rare plant genetic resources can be preserved safely for the long term. Ecosystem Stewardship and In Situ Protection researches natural habitat management and restoration, committed to conserving biodiversity within native environments.
Furthermore, Kew conducts Trait Diversity and Function research, exploring relationships between plant morphology and ecological functions. The Digital Collections and Data Digitization team is transforming millions of specimens into searchable digital resources. Accelerated Plant and Fungal Taxonomy aims to expedite global species classification and naming. Plant Genetics and Molecular Studies reveal plant evolution and adaptation mechanisms at the genetic level.
Professional Resources and Academic Platforms
Kew’s professional resources are unparalleled in the global botanical community, providing a solid foundation for scientific research and academic exchange.
Kew’s Herbarium houses approximately 7 million dried plant specimens, constituting one of the largest and most comprehensive botanical collections in the world. These precious specimens carry centuries of plant diversity records, providing irreplaceable physical evidence for taxonomic research and species identification. Meanwhile, Kew also maintains 1.25 million dried fungal specimens, forming one of the world’s most important mycological collections. Together, these total approximately 8.5 million biological specimens.
The Millennium Seed Bank is Kew’s proudest global collaborative project and the world’s largest seed bank. Through partnerships with over 400 institutions worldwide, this project has successfully preserved seeds from more than 46,000 plant species (approximately 250,000 seed samples from 190 countries), providing crucial genetic resource insurance against climate change and biodiversity loss. Kew’s regular publication of the State of the World’s Plants and Fungi report is an essential reference in global biodiversity research, offering authoritative global plant diversity assessments for policymakers and researchers.
Kew also publishes academic journals including Kew Bulletin and numerous scientific publications, forming a complete academic communication system. The Kew Science publications repository aggregates research findings from Kew scientists, freely accessible to researchers worldwide. The establishment of digital specimen records and data portals has made these precious resources conveniently accessible to scholars across the globe.
Education and Training
Kew is not only a world-class research institution but also a vital platform for plant science education, investing substantial resources in training the next generation of botanists and conservation professionals.
Kew offers structured Master’s and PhD programs, collaborating with internationally renowned universities to provide degree courses in botany, conservation science, horticulture, and related fields. Currently, 81 Master’s students and 135 PhD students receive guidance from Kew’s leading scientists, participating in cutting-edge research projects and gaining valuable practical experience.
The Internship Program is a vital component of Kew’s education system, receiving interns from around the world each year and providing opportunities to learn and grow in authentic research environments. Additionally, Kew organizes public lectures, specialized seminars, and outreach educational activities, disseminating plant science knowledge to broader audiences.
Notable Features
Kew occupies a unique position among the world’s botanical gardens due to its outstanding academic achievements, rich collections, and profound historical heritage.
UNESCO World Heritage Status represents high recognition of Kew’s historical and scientific value. In 2003, Kew was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its distinctive landscape design, historic architecture, and exceptional plant collections, becoming the first botanical garden globally to receive this honor.
Kew houses the world’s largest seed bank – the Millennium Seed Bank – positioning it indispensably in the field of plant conservation. This seed bank not only preserves vast plant genetic resources but also represents humanity’s foresight in preparing for future environmental challenges. To date, the Millennium Seed Bank has preserved seeds from over 46,000 plant species from 190 countries, representing approximately 16% of the world’s seed plants.
Each year, approximately 2.7 million visitors come to Kew Gardens and Wakehurst to experience the charm of this botanical sanctuary. Kew’s scientists accumulate an average of 74,500 citations annually, reflecting their influence in the global plant science community.
Kew has established formal partnerships with over 400 institutions worldwide, forming an international collaboration network spanning six continents. This extensive collaborative system extends Kew’s influence to every corner of the globe, promoting synergistic development of global plant biodiversity conservation.
Learn More
For more information, please visit www.kew.org.
