The Botanic Garden of the University of Reading is run by the School of Plant Sciences and is known as The Harris Garden. It is named after the late Professor Thomas Maxwell Harris (1903—1983) who was Professor of Botany at the University from 1935—1968. Although celebrated as an outstanding palaeobotanist (for which he was honoured by the Royal Society), he was also a knowledgeable plantsman and gardener, and had a profoundly positive effect on generations of students and colleagues.

The Harris Garden is set in the former grounds of a regency estate, Whiteknights, which belonged to the Marquis of Blandford (later the fifth Duke of Marlborough). At the beginning of the 19^th century very fine formal grounds were established and were celebrated throughout Europe. The little of these that remain today can be seen in the Wilderness, a conservation area adjacent to the garden.

A support organisation, the Friends of the Harris Garden, was set up in 1987 to encourage and develop an understanding of, and interest in, botany and horticulture within the broader community by promoting various activities in, and connected with, the Harris Garden. The organisation aims to give members opportunities to see and cultivate a wide variety of plants, as well as furthering the development of the amenity and educational services of the Garden. In addition, Friends receive an occasional newsletter, Harrisiana. Any interested person over the age of fourteen years is eligible to become a member and application forms can be obtained from the address above.

Abbreviations of collectors names for seed gathered in natural habitats:

AMARANTHACEAE

 1  Amaranthus blitoides  S. Watson                                                     CGH
     Wool alien, 9/01

 ANNONACEAE

 2 Annona  ‘Custard Apple’                                                                   CGH
     Funchal, Madeira   2/02

 APIACEAE

 3 Angelica pachycarpa  Lange                                                               CIP
     Guernsey.   11/01

 4 Eryngium agaviifolium Griseb.                                                           CGH 
     Chile, 9/02

 5 Eryngium maritimum  L.                                                                    CGH
     Sand dunes.  Exmouth, Devon, UK, 11/01

6 Peucedanum palimboides Boiss.                                                         CGH
     *Turkey

 ASTERACEAE

 7 Anacyclus homogamus (Maire) Humphries                  SLJ, AA, MAL, AJKG
     *Morocco, High Atlas, About 20 km ESE of El Ksiba along road from El-Ksiba to Imilchil.  Lat: 32° 29' N   Long: 5° 51' W Alt. 1560m
      Weed in harvested field     5/7/97 (S.L. Jury 17502

8 Bidens frondosa L. f. anomala                                                            CGH
     New Jersey, USA    10/01

 

9 Carthamus glaucus M. Bieb. ssp. anatolicus  (Boiss.) Hanelt            CGH
      *Lake Galilee, Israel

10 Centaurea rhenana Boreau                                                             CGH
      10/01

11 Coreopsis cardaminifolia  Torr. & A. Gray                                     PO
      9/01 Mulberry River, Arkansas, USA. 8/99

12 Helenium nudiflorum  Nutt.                                                            CGH
      Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas, USA, 10/01

13 Inula racemosa  Hook. f.                                                                CGH
      9/01

 

14 Lactuca tenerrima Pourr.                                   SLJ, SCD, AJKG, MR
      *Morocco, High Atlas, S. from Marrakech, 9 km below ski resort of Oukaïmeden on road from Vallée de l’Ourika.  Lat: 31º 15' N Long: 7º 49' W Alt
      2100m 29R 612861 345788  E-facing hillside.  Ligules pale blue (S.L. Jury 18392)

15 Rhodanthemum catananche   (Ball) B.H. Wilcox, K.Bremer & Humphries.    SLJ, SCD, AJKG, MR                                 
      *Morocco, High Atlas, S. from Marrakech, ski resort of Oukaïmeden.
      Lat: 31º 12' N Long: 7º 52' W Alt. 2700m   29R 607499 3452361
      Open, N-facing slope above azib – sheep and shepherd huts. (S.L. Jury 18096)

 16 Tragopogon hybridus  L.                                                                           CGH
      *Pollença, Mallorca

 17 Tragopogon porrifolius L.                                                                        CGH
      *Hertingfordbury, Hertfordshire, UK, 7/01

 BORAGINACEAE

18 Nonea lutea (Desr.) DC.                                                                           CGH
      10/01

CACTACEAE

19 Astrophytum myriostigma Lem.                                                                GDR

20 Astrophytum myriostigma Lem. var. columnare                                       GDR
      K. Schumann  

21 Astrophytum ornatum (DC.) Web.                                                           GDR

22 Echinopsis (Lobivia) lateritia Guerke (Carminantha)                              GDR

23 Echinopsis obrepanda (Salm-Dyck) Schumann x pentlandii                      ?
      (Hook.) Dietrich F₂  2000 seed

24 Echinopsis pentlandii (Hook.) Dietrich                                                      GDR

25 Echinopsis tegeleriana (Backbg.) Hunt                                                     GDR
      (Lobivia tegeleriana v. akersii (L. oyonica)

26 Echinopsis thionantha                                                                              GDR
      (Speg.) Werderm.

27 Mammillaria schwarzii Shurly                                                                   GDR

28 Melocactus curvispinus  Pfeiffer                                                                GDR

29 Melocactus negryi K. Schum.                                                                    GDR

CAMPANULACEAE

30 Jasione crispa (Pourr.) Samp. subsp. Lanuginella SLJ, MAL, DMKL, RGW
      (Litard. & Maire) Lambinon & Lewalle Morocco, High Atlas, S. from Marrakech,
      Oukaïmeden, saddle of pass on track to television mast looking to Jbel Toubkal.
      Lat: 31º 12'01" N, Long: 7º 52'14" W Alt. 2686m On W-facing sandstone rocks (S.L. Jury 18624)

CHENOPODIACEAE

31 Chenopodium quinoa  Willd.                                                               CGH
      11/01

CUPRESSACEAE

32 Juniperus thurifera L.                                     SLJ, MAL, DMKL, RGW
      *Morocco, High Atlas, S. from Marrakech, Oukaïmeden, saddle of pass on track to television mast,
      looking to Jbel Toubkal.  Lat: 31º 12'01" N, Long: 7º 52'14" W Alt. 2686m  W-facing rocky sandstone slopes. 
      Old trees; one with over 150 tree rings.   22/9/2000 (S.L. Jury 18614)

EUPHORBIACEAE

33 Euphorbia platyphyllos L.                                                                   EJC
      *Reading, UK, 15/7/00

34 Euphorbia pubescens  Vahl                                                                 CGH
      *Pollença, Mallorca  8/00

GERANIACEAE

35 Erodium malachoides Willd.                                                              CGH
      *Taormina, Sicily   5/01

LAMIACEAE

36 Agastache nepetoides Kuntze                                                             CGH
      8/01

37 Salvia taraxacifolia Coss. ex Hook. f.                  SLJ, AA, MAL, AJK
      *Morocco, High Atlas, c. 3km above Imilchil on road to Lake Tizlite along El-Ksiba to Imilchil road.
      Lat: 32º 11' N, Long: 5º 39' W Alt. 2160m 30S 250968 3564448  Open Stipa community with young planted Cupressus  7/7/97 (S.L. Jury 17599)

38 Salvia taraxacifolia Coss. ex Hook. f.                        AJKG, SLJ, MAL
      *Morocco, High Atlas, SW from Asni along road to Tizi-n-Test, near Imigdal.
      Lat: 31º 05' N, Long: 8º 08' W  Alt. 1200m  29R 582897 3439948 SE-facing slope with shade in morning, with Cupressus atlantica, Juniperus phoenicea,       Tetraclinis articulata, Nerium oleander, Ballota hirsuta and Lavandula dentata.  20/7/97 (S.L. Jury 18055)

MALVACEAE

39 Malva moschata L.                                                                         CGH
      Roadside  Burnham, Buckinghamshire, UK  8/02

POACEAE

40 Bromopsis pubescens (Willd.) Holub                                               CGH
      *Bella Vista, Arkansas, USA

41 Ceratochlea carinata  (Hook. & Arw.) Tutin                                  CGH
      *Mexico

42 Ceratochloa cathartica (Vahl) Herter                                            CGH
      *Hoskinstown, N.S.W., Australia

43  Digitaria ternata Stap. f.                                                                 DH
      Shamwari Game Reserve, S. Africa  3/97

44  Elymus virginicus L.                                                                        PO
      *Mulberry River, Arkansas, USA 8/99

45  Eragrostis virescens J. Presl                                                          EJC
      Salta City, Argentina   10/01

46 Phalaris paradoxa  L.                                                                      PS
      Isle of Wight, UK   6/8/00

47 Setaria parviflora (Poir.) Kerguélen                                             CGH
      Birdseed alien  

48 Stipa lessoniana Triv. & Rups. Follows Clayton & R.                    JRP
      *Woodland on Trewithan Estate, Truro, Cornwall, UK  7/96

49 Stipa offneri Breistr.                                                                    CGH
      *Javea, Alicante, Spain

POLYGONACEAE

50 Rumex maritimus L.                                                                    CGH

51 Rumex pulcher L. subsp. woodsii (De Not.) Arcang.                    CGH
      *Alcudia, Mallorca

PORTULACEAE

52 Portulaca oleraca L.                                                                   CGH
      Rye Meads Sewage Works, Hertfordshire, UK 8/01

SCROPHULARIACEAE

53 Digitalis grandiflora   Mill.                                                          CGH
      9/01

54 Misopates calycinum   (Lam.) Rothm.                                          CGH
      *Funchal, Madeira 2/02

55 Misopates orontum                                                                       RW
      Wool, Dorset 2000

SOLANACEAE

56 Datura ferox L.                                                                            CGH
      *Wool alien, Flitwick, Bedfordshire, UK 10/01

57 Nicandra physaloides Gaertn.                                                       CGH
      Moles Farm, Ware, Hertfordshire, UK 10/01

58 Solanum scabrum Mill.                                                                 CGH
      Rye Meads Sewage Works, Hertfordshire, UK 10/01