The collection of fossil plants includes about 100,000 fossilized plants, including tree ferns, ginkgos, and many other extinct plants. Scientists use the collection to conduct research on the relationships between plant species, the functionality of plants, and to reconstruct ecosystems. Over the years, the collection has been gathered through donations from private individuals, transfers from other institutions (such as UvA/Artis, TU Delft, and TNO-NITG), and material collected by the institution's own researchers. The majority of the collection comes from the Dutch (state) mines and consists of plant fossils dating back to the Carboniferous period (358-299 million years ago).
Highlights
The paleobotanical collection contains unique plant fossils that have been gathered throughout history by various botanists. These valuable collections have been brought together in Naturalis, where they provide important insights into the existence of plant species over time.
Jongmanscollection
The Jongmans Collection is one of the most complete Carboniferous collections in the world and the largest Dutch collection of Carboniferous material from Limburg. The collection was assembled between 1921 and 1946 by Wilhelmus Jongmans, who was appointed director of the Geological Bureau in Heerlen.
Jongmans spent a lot of time establishing contacts with the overseers of Limburg’s mines, ensuring that all fossils found were set aside for him. The collection includes both fauna and plant material, with the majority consisting of beautifully preserved plant fossils. These fossils provide an excellent overview of the plant life from the Carboniferous period.
Reid & Reidseed collection
This is a collection of seeds gathered by the British couple Eleanor and Clement Reid. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, they were among the first to attempt to reconstruct past vegetation by studying seeds from a paleontological context. In 1907, they published their book The Fossil Flora of Tegelen-sur-Meuse, near Venloo, in the Province of Limburg.
The seeds that formed the basis for their analyses, along with the associated archive, are part of the paleobotany collection. Clement Reid passed away in 1919, but that did not stop Eleanor from continuing the work they had started together. She remained engaged in paleobotany until her death in 1953. In 1921, she became one of the first women to be admitted to the Geological Society of London. For her contributions to geology, she received the Lyell Medal in 1936.
Whoworks with this
Importantpublications
van Konijnenburg - van Cittert, J., van Waveren, I. M., & Jonckers, J. B. (2004). Catalogue of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic holotypes in the collection of plant fossils in the Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Leiden. NNM Technical Bulletin, 7, 1–27. https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/2t14530
Moreinformation
Jongmanscollection
https://bioportal.naturalis.nl/nl/highlights/jongmans-collection
Paleontological dataset of Naturalis
https://www.gbif.org/dataset/ea233ece-c4fb-4fb8-bf98-f16235c4144c