Overview
Te Papa holds the principal collections of several important botanical collectors: Nancy M. Adams, Bernard C. Aston, Patrick J. Brownsey, John Buchanan, Leonard Cockayne, William Colenso, Thomas Kirk (snr.), Charles Knight, William Martin, Joseph H. McMahon, Wendy A. Nelson, W. Reginald B. Oliver, Donald Petrie, and George O.K. Sainsbury.
The contributors with the most databased collections (more than 3000 as at 8 August 2025): W. Reginald B. Oliver (16006 collections), Donald Petrie (13398), Patrick J. Brownsey (11884), Leon R. Perrie (11137), Thomas Kirk (snr.) (8257), Lara D. Shepherd (6693), Peter Beveridge (6420), Wendy A. Nelson (6130), William Colenso (4825), David Glenny (4527), George O.K. Sainsbury (4487), Barry V. Sneddon (4308), Bernard C. Aston (3957), Rodney Lewington (3939), Peter N. Johnson (3448), Colin C. Ogle (3401), and Nancy M. Adams (3152).
Te Papa also has significant collections of other notable botanists including Joseph Banks & Daniel Solander, Sven Berggren, Allan Cunningham, Victor W. Lindauer, John D. Lovis, and Henry H. Travers.