Pacific Bulb Society
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Bulb Society (PBS) is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2002, dedicated to informing and helping people who grow or are interested in geophytes
(bulbs and related plants). Despite the name "Pacific", the society covers geophytes from around the world, and is open to people from any country. Members range from casual gardeners
to professional botanists employed by major botanical gardens
.
The PBS maintains a "massive" online reference collection of geophyte photos and information, stored in a Wiki
that is accessible to the general public. Other topics covered in the wiki include cultivation tips, information on bulb-growing climates
, sources for geophytes, a bibliography
of books about geophytes, and a section on "legacy" bulbs that outlast their original homes. The society also runs an active online e-mail discussion group
, "The PBS List," that is open to anyone, whether or not they are a PBS member.
Paid members of the society receive a quarterly print publication, and can participate in exchanges of seeds and dormant bulbs several times a month. The exchanges sometimes include rare and unusual species.
Storage organ
A storage organ is a part of a plant specifically modified for storage of energy or water. Storage organs often grow underground, where they are better protected from attack by herbivores. Plants that have an underground storage organ are called geophytes in the Raunkiær plant life-form...
(bulbs and related plants). Despite the name "Pacific", the society covers geophytes from around the world, and is open to people from any country. Members range from casual gardeners
Gardening
Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
to professional botanists employed by major botanical gardens
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
.
The PBS maintains a "massive" online reference collection of geophyte photos and information, stored in a Wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
that is accessible to the general public. Other topics covered in the wiki include cultivation tips, information on bulb-growing climates
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
, sources for geophytes, a bibliography
Bibliography
Bibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
of books about geophytes, and a section on "legacy" bulbs that outlast their original homes. The society also runs an active online e-mail discussion group
Electronic mailing list
An electronic mailing list is a special usage of email that allows for widespread distribution of information to many Internet users. It is similar to a traditional mailing list — a list of names and addresses — as might be kept by an organization for sending publications to...
, "The PBS List," that is open to anyone, whether or not they are a PBS member.
Paid members of the society receive a quarterly print publication, and can participate in exchanges of seeds and dormant bulbs several times a month. The exchanges sometimes include rare and unusual species.