Botanist and Head of Science at Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum Dr Chris Thorogood will deliver The Chartered Institute of Horticulture’s (CIH) James Bruce Memorial Lecture.
Alongside his positions at Oxford University Chris is a visiting Professor at the University of the Philippines.
His research focuses on the evolution of parasitic and carnivorous plants, taxonomic diversity in biodiversity hotspots around the world, and biomimetics - exploring the potential applications of plants in technology.
He is an author and broadcaster, making regular appearances on TV and radio and is also an award-winning botanical illustrator and wildlife artist.
Dr Thorogood’s lecture, entitled “Pathless forest: the quest to save the world’s largest flowers” is the story of his journey to study and protect Rafflesia. A biological enigma, still little understood, which invades vines as a leafless parasite and steals its food from them. Chris will tell the story of his fieldwork in untrodden rainforests in search of Rafflesia's ghostly, foul-smelling blooms, more than a metre across.
The lecture will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday 3rd June, online via Zoom, following the Institute’s Annual General Meeting. Registration is free and open to all via the CIH website.
CIH President David Richardson CHort FCIHort, said: “Chris has a passion for plants, and we share his ambition to make society see them differently and realise how we, they, and our planet, are all connected. This was clearly apparent from the evidence that Chris provided to the 2023 House of Lords Horticultural Sector Inquiry where he was an excellent advocate for improving education surrounding plants and horticultural skills.”
James Bruce MBE (1908-1992) was a Fellow of the then Institute of Horticulture (IoH), having previously been a member of the Horticultural Education Association since 1934, the forerunner of the IoH. Bruce had a distinguished career as a horticultural adviser, advising country estates and prisoner of war camps on vegetable production through the Second World War.
Bruce later became the Head of the Department of Horticulture at East of Scotland College, where he was responsible for greatly improving the teaching estate and resources.
This lecture recognises the enduring influence of James Bruce on the sharing of horticultural knowledge.
In recent years the lecture has been delivered by: David Gwyther CBE, CEO Horticultural Trades Association; Dr Simon Thornton-Wood, Director of Science & Learning, RHS; Roy Lancaster OBE, VMH, FCIHort, FLS; Lord Taylor of Holbeach CBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary, Defra; Linda Lennon CBE, RHS Director of Horticulture and Head of Science; Richard Barley MBE CHort FCIHort Head of Horticulture, Kew Gardens; John Adlam CHort FCIHort, Dove Associates; Hayley Campbell-Gibbons, AHDB Horticulture Board Chair; Prof. Dave Goulson, University of Sussex; Matthew Appleby, Editor Horticulture Week and landscaping expert and author Alan Sargent FCIHort.
