Seed laboratory, carpological collection, and exchange by seeds at the Peter the Great Botanical Garden

Today, no botanical garden can survive without a seed laboratory. Mainly, update of the living plants’ collections is possible through an exchange of plant material. Published lists of plants – whose seeds ripe in botanical gardens – provide data on the composition and ability to obtain mature seeds of different plant species. The article provides data on the development of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden that was established more than 200 years ago, its role and modern goals. Data on the present carpological collection (around 17.000 samples) is provided in the article as well.