Academia
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Herbarium of the Late Dr Edwin Lanfranco Donated to Argotti Botanic Gardens & Resource Centre
Photo from left to right: Leanne Camilleri, Greta Micallef, Prof. Sandro Lanfranco, Christian Borg (Argotti Curator), Erika Puglisevich, Prof. Alfred J. Vella, Prof. David Mifsud (in coming chair of Argotti) and Prof. Louis F. Cassar (current chair of Argotti).
On Thursday 18 December, the herbarium collection of the late , Malta’s foremost botanist, was formally presented by Professor Sandro Lanfranco, to the University of Malta. The collection will be housed at the University of Malta Herbarium within the Argotti Botanic Gardens & Resource Centre. The event was held in the Council Room of the main Campus in Msida, in the presence of Rector Professor Alfred J. Vella. This presentation marked a significant moment in the preservation of Malta’s botanical heritage, ensuring that Dr Lanfranco’s important work will remain a valuable resource for research, education, and conservation.
A representative sample of the collection was displayed, highlighting both its scientific significance and the personal legacy it embodies. The showcased material reflected the extensive remounting and repair work currently being undertaken to preserve the collection. Compiled over decades, Dr Lanfranco’s herbarium provides an irreplaceable record of plant diversity, distribution, and taxonomy in Malta. Herbaria such as this are essential tools for documenting changes in flora over time, supporting biodiversity management, and underpinning botanical research and teaching.
The transfer and conservation of the collection is being coordinated by Erika Puglisevich, Technical Officer at Argotti and specialist in herbarium curation, with the support of the Department of Biology’s team, Leanne Camilleri, Scientific Officer, and Greta Micallef, Museum Curator designate. Their combined efforts are ensuring the careful integration, documentation, and long-term preservation of the collection.
Attendees at the event also included Mr Christian Borg, Curator at the Botanic Gardens; Professor Louis F. Cassar, current Chair of Argotti; and Professor David Mifsud, entomologist.
The event celebrated the University’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding scientific collections and honoured Dr Edwin Lanfranco’s enduring contribution to Maltese botany, cementing his legacy for future generations of researchers.
