BryoTan project

Bryophytes from Antananarivo Herbarium, Madagascar, sources of biological data. A project funded by the GBIF BID

This project concerns Malagasy bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and horntworts), stored in Antananarivo Herbarium, Madagascar (Parc Zoologique et Botanique de Tsimbazaza, PBZT). These tiny plants play essential ecological functions in tropical ecosystems, regarding water cycle or soil stabilisation but are overlooked in Madagascar, despite numerous collections since mid 19th century.

Bryophytes from PBZT were not really curated and studied until now. We aim to fill these gaps and provide taxonomical, geographical data to the community through GBIF databases.


BryoTan takes place in the context of the international program MADBRYO (Malagasy Bryophytes) aiming  to enhance the knowledge on Malagasy bryophytes. Close collaborations are enhanced with all the institutions engaged in MADBRYO.

January 2019 : see BRYOTAN first results and image samples

BRYOTAN workshop  in Antananarivo : September 24th - October 7th .
See our blog

Project in a few words

BryoTan Blog

BryoTan in China

By Catherine Reeb • 23 May 2019
Alain Vanderpoorten who participates to the BryoTan workshop, Sept. 2018 in Antananarivo and Lucie Bauret, (postdoc at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Mengla, Yunnan, China) wear with pride the BryoTan colors in China.

Report on TVN news during the workshop

By BRYOTAN • 6 February 2019
TV report during teh Workshop explaining the project

Digitazing and data cleaning

By BRYOTAN • 4 February 2019
At the date of February 2nd, 2019, 2427 occurences were digitalized by Fara (here at her desk), but also by Eliane and by Miarisoa , helped by ELlysée and Rita during the workshop. We hope to reach more than 3000 occurences at the ned of Februrary 2019.

BRYOTAN project at the French-Malagasy meeting MNHN, September 27th.

By BRYOTAN • 4 February 2019
On September 27th, was held  the First Malagasy-French meeting at MuseumNational d'Histoire Naturelle. As we could not be there, because working in TAN herbarium, we decided to post this video for the participants. VIDEO IN FRENCH.
More Posts

Herbarium curation in Antananarivo

We begin to sort the herbarium and to repackage old collections.

First images of usefull organs for identification are taken.
More on BryoTan protocole

First workshop in Paris, January 2018

The BryoTan team met in Paris, 15th-22th January at the french Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. The herbarium work was discussed and prepared, based on the experience of Paris herbarium (PC) and training on bryophytes preparation and numerisation was conducted.
More on Paris Workshop

GBIF online occurences implementation

Bryophytes occurences (taxonomical names with geolocalization and unique identification) from TAN herbarium are implemented via GBIF servers.

Identification workshop in Antananarivo

An international workshop is organized in September 2018 in Antananarivo. Specialists meet in PBZT herbarium in order to enhance Malagasy mosses and liverworts identification.


Project in a few words

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