NEWS from BOTANY 2026

On February 18, 2026, Dr. Wolfhardt Widdra, an appointed honorary member of the SGN, passed away in Frankfurt. He was especially interestedin the digitisation of the herbarium collection. In 2008 he had already donated his private herbarium collection to the Herbarium Senckenbergianum.

We are grateful for his commitment to Senckenberg

Prof. Dr. Dr. Horst Lange-Bertalot turned 90 on February 2026. After working at Goethe University he was appointed honorary member of the SGN and is still scientifically active and productive. The eminent diatom taxonomist has described over 2,000 species of diatoms and has donated his collection of types to the Herbarium Senckenbergianum.

We wish all the best for the future.

Marie Claire Veranso-Libalah has been awarded the “Habilitation” in botany at Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, her former place of work. Her current research focuses on the systematics and evolution of Melastomataceae and Dichapetalaceae.