(November 18, 2009 -  Sarasota, FL):  Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and Sarasota Magazine will host a lecture by John R. Clark, Ph.D., Director of the Gesneriad Research Center at the Gardens on December 3, 2009, at 12:00 noon and again at 7:00 p.m. in the Cooley Theater.  The lecture will cover a two-month long expedition to the Solomon Islands (sponsored by Dr. Anne Vidaver) to collect rare and endangered plants for scientific study.

Clark will share adventurous tales from the other side of the world!  His travels have included research expeditions in Trinidad, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Samoa, and Fiji.  His latest adventure to the Solomon Islands, a group of about 900 islands found northeast of Australia and due east of Papua New Guinea, possess some of the last large, intact tracts of island rainforest in the world.  Clark spent this past May and June island hopping via outboard motor boat, canoe and bush plane to some of the most remote islands in the archipelago.  While there, he encountered everything from pristine forests to intestinal parasites.  Save the date to hear his tales of great exploration and success.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a respected center for research and education as well as a famous orchid showplace.  Selby Gardens is located at 811 South Palm Avenue in Sarasota. It is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the exception of Christmas day.