ABSTRACT
Malaysia has a long history with botanical research, started mainly by the British colonial administration. The early colonial gardens were established mainly toward the exploitation of the spice trade, and subsequently, botanical exploration of the local flora became part of the functions of these gardens. Arboreta were developed by forest departments; later, many of these extended their interests beyond trees. Recent gardens were developed by universities for education and research purposes, and in recent years, several new ones by the National Landscape department together with city and town councils. There are 19 public botanical gardens in Malaysia. A national botanical garden network called MYBGnet was recently established. It will pave the way toward better organizing and coordinating of botanical activities in Malaysia.
