Kristina McColl brings over three decades of expertise – and an Honours degree in Environmental Sciences, majoring in Botany – to her role as a Collections Curator at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan.
Specialising in curating plant families like Asteraceae (daisy family), all the monocots (including grasses, lilies, orchids, palms etc.), Alismatales (waterplants), and many more, Kristina manages 1.4 million dried plant collections as part of a team of four.
Her work involves curating and updating plant identifications and taxonomy, selecting specimens for loans to researchers from other institutions, and conducting Herbarium tours. A typical day also sees her participating in fieldwork, completing data entry, mounting specimens onto archival paper, restoring fragile historic specimens, and bulk-freezing incoming specimens.
Kristina finds joy in the orderliness of her job, ensuring the vast plant collection is meticulously maintained and documented - a task that requires precise documentation and comes with a high level of training over many years. She views her role in safeguarding the historic collections for future generations as humbling.
Among the numerous plants she considers her favourites is Vallisneria, a native freshwater species commonly known as ribbon or eel weeds. Though often maligned by recreational river users, these plants are crucial for riverbank stability and wildlife habitat.
Driven by her passion for botany and guided by influential mentors, Kristina embarked on her career journey at the National Herbarium of New South Wales. Starting as a Research Assistant, she worked on various plant families, honing her skills in reviewing genera and writing flora descriptions.
Kristina's progression into her current role as Collections Curator reflects her commitment to preserving botanical heritage and advancing plant science.
