Algae
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Glasgow Museums has a collection of approximately 12,000 algae specimens. Algae are a diverse group of organisms, the largest and most complex of which are seaweeds. The collection is predominantly in the form of dried, pressed and mounted herbarium sheets. It mainly comprises marine algae of the traditionally recognised red, green and brown groups, but also includes smaller collections of blue-green algae, freshwater algae, stoneworts (Charophytes), coral (calcareous algae) and microscopic algae on slides. The largest collection is that of Glasgow University (GL) with about 7,000 specimens, the smallest the Strathclyde University collection (GGO) holds 1,400 specimens; the civic collection (GLAM) is not catalogued but is considered to hold about 3,000 individual specimens. There is a large number uncatalogued specimens mounted on microscopic slides. The specimens date from the late 18th century to the present. The collection contains a comprehensive reference set of the marine flora of the British and Irish Isles, particularly the Atlantic coast. It also includes a small number of historical overseas specimens from Australia, France, India, the Cape, Florida and the Caribbean. The collection includes several scientifically and historically significant objects, including one of the most complete sets of the ‘British Algae’ – pioneering cyanotype photograms by Anna Atkins, and bound volumes of ‘Treasures of the Deep’ produced by the Rev. D Landsborough and his daughters. The value of this collection is further enhanced by the historical interest of material from the early 19th century – many early collectors are represented, such as Prof. G Walker Arnott, J Drummond, Rev J Fleming, R K Greville, Mrs Griffiths, E M Holmes, David Robertson, D Turner and Prof. W H Harvey.
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