Durban Botanic Gardens

in the Durban Botanic Gardens Early history The Durban Botanic Gardens was established to participate in the quest of Kew Gardens to establish a series of botanic gardens across the world which would assist in the introduction of economically valuable plants, and to supply plants to Kew that were new to science. From 1853 to 1860 there were various curators, the most notable of which was Robert Plant, who died of malaria while collecting plants near Lake St. Lucia. He prepared about 13,000 plant specimens, many of which were distributed by exchange, and only about 6,000 of his specimens remain in the collection John Medley Wood discovered many new species of plants which he sent to Kew Gardens. This cycad was subsequently named in honour of him in 1908 as Wood's Cycad (Encephalartos woodii) by the English horticulturalist Henry Sander. Three basal offsets of the cycad were collected by Wood's deputy, James Wylie, in 1903 and planted in the Durban Botanic Gardens, and again in a 1907 expedition, Wylie collected two of the larger stems and brought them to the gardens. Wood's Cycad is now the emblem of the Durban Botanic Gardens, where the original specimens are still growing. he was succeeded as curator of the herbarium by P.A. van der Bijl, a noted mycologist. Around 1965 the Durban Botanic Gardens was noted for its collection of Cannas, and Ernest Thorp sent rhizomes of three varieties to Longwood Gardens in the United States upon request. ==Plant collections==

Cycads The gardens contain an extensive collection of cycads from South Africa and from other parts of the world. The most notable specimens are those of Wood's Cycad. In 1992 and 1993 the cycads were rearranged to represent their geographic distribution. The species that grow here include: • Encephalartos altensteinii • Encephalartos arenarius • Encephalartos ferox • Encephalartos horridus • Encephalartos lehmannii • Encephalartos longifolius • Encephalartos natalensis • Encephalartos villosus • Stangeria eriopus Ferns John Medley Wood was an avid collector of ferns and published A Popular Description of the Natal Ferns in 1877, and The Classification of Ferns in 1879. As of 2010 the Durban Botanic Gardens has a collection of ferns, many of which grow in the section of the gardens called the "Fern Dell". Various species of bromeliads grow in mass plantings in the gardens, and some are placed in the orchid house on display during winter and summer when fewer orchids are in bloom. Trees There are at least 1,354 individual trees, and about 917 palms growing in the Durban Botanical Gardens. ==Activities and events==

The grounds currently host various social gatherings such as local music bands and 'Victorian tea parties', as well as an indigenous plant fair in spring (September) each year. The fair is hosted by the Botanical Society of South Africa, and in 2009 and 2010 the Lepidopterists' Society of Africa was involved to promote the growing of indigenous butterfly food plants. The theme of the Fair for 2010 was taken from the UN's International Year of Biodiversity, and more than 750 species of plants indigenous to South Africa were available. ==Gallery==

Image:Durban Botanic cycads and trees.JPG|A view of large trees and cycads at the Durban Botanic Gardens Image:Scabiosa africana 04 09 2010.JPG|Scabiosa africana at the Indigenous Plant Fair 2010 Image:Encephalartos villosus cone Durban Bot 04 09 2010.JPG|Encephalartos villosus Image:Encephalartos_sp_at_Durban_Botanic_Gardens_12_09_2010.jpg|Cones on an Encephalartos cycad Image:Stangeria eriopus Durban Botanic Gardens 12 09 2010.JPG|Stangeria eriopus, a cycad once thought to be a fern Image:Ernest Thorp Orchid House 1 12 09 2010.JPG|Inside the Ernest Thorp Orchid House Image:Orchids and Bromeliads Durban Botanic 12 09 2010.JPG|Orchids and Bromeliads Image:Bromeliads, Durban Botanic Gardens.jpg|Bromeliads in a mass planting Image:Tree Fern Durban Botanic Gardens 12 09 2010.JPG|A Tree Fern in the Gardens Image:Scadoxus puniceus Durban Botanic 04 09 2010.JPG|Scadoxus puniceus growing in the shade of the trees Image:Egyptian Geese Durban Botanic Gardens 04 09 2010.JPG|A family of Egyptian geese on the lawn ==See also==