Botanical Research Institute of Texas

It was established in 1987 for the herbarium and botanical library collections of Lloyd H. Shinners from Southern Methodist University but has subsequently expanded substantially.

BRIT focuses on plant taxonomy, conservation and knowledge sharing for both scientists and the general public The Botanical Research Institute of Texas was founded in 1987 around the herbarium and library from the Southern Methodist University that been substantially expanded by their final curator, Lloyd Herbert Shinners.

[2] The institute now consists of a two-story Archives Block that houses the herbarium in a 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2), climate-controlled space, with the remaining 5,000 square feet (460 m2) for research and a library.

The Philecology Herbarium represents is among the ten largest in the United States with more than 1.5 million preserved plant specimens, some dating back to the late 1700s.

[7] Botanical research is conducted in Texas and also in tropical rainforests such as the Philippines, Costa Rica, Peru and Papua New Guinea.

In 1999, BRIT published Shinners & Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas, written in collaboration with the Biology Department and Center for Environmental Studies at Austin College in both printed and on-line format.

Since 1993 the institute has presented an International Award of Excellence in Conservation annually to an individual or organization that exemplifies ideals expressed in BRIT's mission.

[14] Awardees have included Sylvia Earle (2018),[15] Thomas E. Lovejoy (2014), Lady Bird Johnson, Robert K. Watson, Ted Turner, John Cain Carter and Peter Hamilton Raven.

BRIT's education programs about plants include lectures, workshops and classes at levels suitable for adults, families, schoolchildren and professional development for teachers.