The Millennium Seed Bank Project

Sept '07

Detailed Statistics

Measure Value Accurate as at
Total number of seeds (estimate of competent seeds) 1,229,577,116 May '08
Total number of seed collections 41,865 May '08
Total number of species represented 23,669 May '08
Total number of families represented 334 May '08
Total number of countries represented 129 May '08
Oldest seed collection in bank 40 Years May '08
     
Estimated number of seed-bearing species in world flora (Mabberley 1987; reprinted 1990) 242,000  
% species banked (% of Mabberley estimate) 9.8% May '08
     
UK material    
Number of species collected in UK in bank (includes alien species) 1,713 May '08
Number of species only represented by UK collection 1,222 May '08
Number of collections of UK species in bank (includes alien species) 4,275 May '08
Number of native / long ago introduced UK species in bank
(based on Joint Nature Conservancy Council –JNCC - list and excluding Hieracium, Rubus and Taraxacum)
1,319+ March '07
% of JNCC list in bank
(excluding hybrids, Hieracium, Rubus and Taraxacum)
88% March '07
     
Non-UK material    
Start of MSBP international programme = 01 Jan 1998    
Number of species before programme 3,814 May '08
Number of species now 22,447 May '08
Number of species collected by international programme (Phase III) - includes a few recent UK collections 18,616 May '08
Number of collections in bank before programme 8,996 May '08
Number of collections in bank now 37,590 May '08
     
Partners and Countries    
Number of "main" partner organisations 48 April '08
Number of countries represented by "main" partner organisations 16 April '08
Total number of organisations in partnership with the MSBP 122 April '08
Total number of countries represented 53 April '08
Page last updated: 19 October 2007