The herbarium, a repository of dried and pressed plant specimens, boasts a rich collection with a history spanning more than 100 years. The oldest preserved specimen in the collection is Valeriana, dated to 1910. The herbarium belongs to the Tbilisi State Medical University I.  Kutateladze Institute of Pharmacochemistry and houses approximately 37,000 specimens representing nearly 3,000 plant species. This exceptional collection not only reflects the botanical diversity of Georgia but also serves as a valuable archive of the cultivated flora of the broader Caucasus Region. Georgian scientists began collecting, drying, and cataloguing these plant specimens over a century ago. Among the preserved species are 14 specimens of Buxus Colchica, collected by the institute’s staff between 1934 and 1938. This species is currently on the brink of extinction and is listed in the Red Data Book. The process of acquiring, documenting, and studying herbarium specimens continues to this day. The herbarium remains a dynamic and expanding scientific resource, with its collection enriched annually by new additions.

Since 2007, the Tbilisi State Medical University I. Kutateladze Institute of Pharmacochemistry Herbarium has been included in the international Index Herbariorum, registered in its ninth edition and assigned an official acronym.

The Herbarium Through the Lens of P.S.