The paleobotanical holdings in theYale Peabody Museum’s Division of
Paleobotany are worldwide in scope, and are probably among the oldest and
most historically rich in the United States. About 75% of the collection is from
North America, with the remainder from South America, China, the West Indies,
Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, Central America, Australia, Antarctica, Europe and
the Arctic.
The approximate geological distribution of the collection is
30% Mesozoic, 32% Cenozoic, 33% Paleozoic and 5% Proterozoic. The taxonomic
distribution is estimated at 1% cyanobacteria, 5% “algae,” 2% bryophyta, 5%
lower vascular plants, 10% progymnosperms, 10% gymnosperms and 67%
angiosperms.
Included among the Division’s riches is a substantial body
of plant fossils from the opening of the American West, from the Wilkes
Expedition of 1838–1842 described by James D.
Dana; Triassic and late Cretaceous floras from New York, New Jersey and
southern New England; and the world’s largest assemblage of
cycadeoids.
The Peabody nucleus has grown rapidly from approximately
30,000 specimens to over 125,000, with 4,200 of these type specimens. This
expansion is partly the result of intense field collecting. The largest
increase, however, is from the addition of two orphaned fossil plant
collections:
These holdings include material that formed the basis of the research of many
of the founders of American paleobotany, including Leo Lesquereux, J.S.
Newberry, E.W. Berry, W.M. Fontaine, Lester Ward, George R.
Wieland and Arthur Hollick.
Holdings in the Division also include the
following specialized collections:
The Yale Peabody Museum’s collections are available to legitimate researchers
for scholarly use. Loans are issued to responsible individuals at established
institutions. Loans and access to the collection can be arranged through the Collections
Manager.
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