Addisonia
Addisonia is a distinguished illustrated journal with a focus on botanical and horticultural themes. The New York Botanical Garden served as its publisher from 1916 until 1964.
The initiation of Addisonia was the result of a bequest by Judge Addison Brown, a co-founder of the New York Botanical Garden. The magazine's content was dedicated exclusively to vascular plants originating from the United States and its territorial possessions, or those flowering within the New York Botanical Garden or its conservatories.
The first editors of Addisonia were the botanist John Hendley Barnhart and George Valentine Nash, who was the head gardener of the Botanical Garden at that time. Subsequent editors included Henry Gleason and Edward Johnston Alexander.
Originally, Addisonia was a quarterly publication. However, various factors led to an extension in the publication schedule over time. Starting with volume 18 in 1933–34, the magazine transitioned to a semi-annual schedule; by volume 21 in 1939, it had become an annual publication. During its last few years, issues were printed irregularly as funds became available. Remarkably, the cover price of $10 remained unchanged over the magazine’s 50-year history.
During its first five years, Addisonia encompassed a wide range of topics such as acacias, dwarf polyantha roses, and cacti. The principal illustrator of the magazine in its initial three decades was Mary Emily Eaton, a staff illustrator at the New York Botanical Garden. Eaton was responsible for creating over three-quarters of the magazine's 800 plates.
Today, Addisonia is still recognized as a valuable reference work and educational tool due to the high quality of its illustrations, the detailed plant descriptions provided by renowned authorities, and the meticulous provision of bibliographical citations. Throughout its existence, Addisonia reported on three new genera and 31 new species.{{Categories}}