Dr André Schuiteman

I have been fascinated by plants, in particular orchids, since my early teens. I studied Economics and Econometrics in Amsterdam, but field trips to Tanzania and New Guinea inspired me to pursue a career in botany. After working for many years as researcher at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands I came to Kew in May 2010, where I have been in charge of the Orchid Herbarium since the retirement of Jeffrey Wood in 2012.

I am especially interested in the orchid flora of Southeast Asia, in particular Cambodia, Laos and New Guinea. I also study the systematics and evolution of particular orchid genera, such as Dendrobium, Eria s.l. and the neotropical genus Maxillaria. More fieldwork in the areas mentioned is urgently needed in view of the ongoing habitat destruction there as well as our inadequate knowledge of the local flora.

As part of the Asia Team within Identification and Naming, I co-supervise the maintenance of the collections of all plant families, to ensure that they are properly classified and curated, for the benefit of researchers both inside and outside Kew. I expect that our Team's work on the floral biodiversity of New Guinea will become increasingly important, as will be our contributions to the World Flora Online.