Botany Department

• Houses over 1 million plant and fungi specimens collected over 114 years.
• Holds a comprehensive database with:
  • 4,000+ Type Specimens
  • 3,000+ Lower Plants
  • 5,000+ Fungi Samples
  • 2,000+ Botanical Illustrations
  • 2,200+ Living Plant Collections at the Nairobi Botanic Garden

The EAH conducts research in plant taxonomy, conservation, and biodiversity assessment, focusing on:

• Species Discovery & Classification – Understanding plant diversity and evolution.
• Natural Resource Management – Informing environmental policies, wildlife and forest management, and water conservation.
• Food Security & Climate Adaptation – Studying plants’ role in agriculture, medicine, and environmental sustainability.

Mycology Unit

The Mycology Unit focuses on fungi research, including:

• Fungi for Food Security – Exploring edible mushrooms for nutrition and agriculture.
• Fungi for Conservation & Ecosystem Restoration – Understanding their role in soil health and biodiversity.
• Fungi & Human Health – Investigating medicinal fungi and disease control.

Ex-Situ Conservation & Seed Banking

Since 1992, the Ex-Situ Conservation Program has focused on:

• Collecting, researching, and long-term seed banking (storing seeds for up to 500 years).
• Protecting Kenya’s rare and endangered plant species.
• Propagation and replanting of threatened flora.

Information & Documentation Unit

The Documentation Section manages:

• Over 200,000 digitized plant specimens for global research access.
• A specialized library with:
  • 4,000+ botanical books
  • 185+ journal titles
  • 10,000+ reprints
  • 3,000+ botanical magazines

Ethno/Economic Botany – The Science of Survival

The Ethnobotany Division studies the interaction between plants and people across cultures and time.

Research areas include:

• Traditional Knowledge Systems – Documenting indigenous plant uses.
• Medicinal & Food Plants – Understanding their role in health and nutrition.
• Ecology & Conservation – Studying how communities manage plant resources.

The Nairobi Botanic Garden (NBG) maintains:

• Medicinal, food, rare, and endangered plant species.
• The Orchid House & Succulent Garden – Showcasing Kenya’s botanical diversity.
• Landscaping & Public Education Programs in environmental conservation

The Ecology Lab conducts research on ecosystem dynamics, focusing on:

• Soil, plant, and water analysis.
• Climate change impacts on biodiversity.
• Habitat restoration & conservation planning.