University of California Botanical Garden
Encyclopedia
The University of California Botanical Garden is a 34 acre (13.7 ha) botanical garden
located on the University of California, Berkeley
campus. The Garden is in the campus's Strawberry Canyon which overlooks the San Francisco Bay
. It is one of the most diverse plant collections in the United States, and famous for its large number of rare and endangered species.
The Garden was established in 1890 on the University's central campus and moved to its present location in the hills above the campus under the directorship of Thomas Harper Goodspeed
. Its layout in the Canyon was designed by Goodspeed and fellow Berkeley professor and landscape architect
, John William Gregg
. The Garden now contains more than 20,000 accessions, representing 324 plant families, 12,000 different species
and subspecies
, and 2,885 genera
. Outdoor collections are in general arranged geographically, and nearly all specimens have been collected from the wild. The major family collections include: Cactus
(2,669 plants), Lily (1,193 plants), Sunflower
(1,151 plants), Heath
(897 plants), and Orchid (950). Other well-represented families include about 500 types of fern
s and fern allies, Chinese medicinal herbs, plants of economic importance, Old rose
cultivars, and California native plants. A set of greenhouses contain succulents, epiphyte
s, fern
s, carnivorous plants, and tropicals.
The Garden's geographically organized sections include:
The Garden's greenhouse
s are as follows: the Arid House presents seasonal exhibits of cacti and succulents. The Fern
and Carnivorous Plant
s House display diverse ferns and unusual insect-eating plants. The Tropical House features tropical plants of economic value, and many curiosities such as the giant corpse lily Amorphophallus
.
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
located on the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
campus. The Garden is in the campus's Strawberry Canyon which overlooks the San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
. It is one of the most diverse plant collections in the United States, and famous for its large number of rare and endangered species.
The Garden was established in 1890 on the University's central campus and moved to its present location in the hills above the campus under the directorship of Thomas Harper Goodspeed
Thomas Harper Goodspeed
Thomas Harper Goodspeed was a botanist specializing in the genetics of species Nicotiana. He was the director of the University of California Botanical Garden from 1919 to 1957...
. Its layout in the Canyon was designed by Goodspeed and fellow Berkeley professor and landscape architect
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
, John William Gregg
John William Gregg
John William Gregg , was a 20th century professor of landscape architecture at the University of California, Berkeley. Gregg designed the townsites of California Census Designated Places Delhi, California and Ballico, California as twentieth century model agriculture townships...
. The Garden now contains more than 20,000 accessions, representing 324 plant families, 12,000 different species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
, and 2,885 genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. Outdoor collections are in general arranged geographically, and nearly all specimens have been collected from the wild. The major family collections include: Cactus
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
(2,669 plants), Lily (1,193 plants), Sunflower
Sunflower
Sunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence . The sunflower got its name from its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun. The sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads...
(1,151 plants), Heath
Erica
Erica ,the heaths or heathers, is a genus of approximately 860 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. The English common names "heath" and "heather" are shared by some closely related genera of similar appearance....
(897 plants), and Orchid (950). Other well-represented families include about 500 types of fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s and fern allies, Chinese medicinal herbs, plants of economic importance, Old rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
cultivars, and California native plants. A set of greenhouses contain succulents, epiphyte
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
s, fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s, carnivorous plants, and tropicals.
The Garden's geographically organized sections include:
- AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n - featuring South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n plants including lilies, Proteas, ice plantIce plant- Plant common names :* Aizoaceae, the ice plant family* Carpobrotus chilensis* Carpobrotus edulis* Conicosia, narrow-leafed ice plants* Delosperma cooperi, Cooper's ice plant* Delosperma bosseranum...
s, AloeAloeAloe , also Aloë, is a genus containing about 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera, or "true aloe"....
s, and EncephalartosEncephalartosEncephalartos is a genus of cycad native to Africa. Several species of Encephalartos are commonly referred to as bread palms, bread tree or Kaffir bread since a bread-like starchy food can be prepared from the centre of the stem. All the species of Encephalartos are endangered...
. - AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n - has an outstanding RhododendronRhododendronRhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
collection (259 taxa, 397 accessions) including many mature tree Rhododendrons too tender for most North American climates. Also present are many members of the redwood family including the original dawn redwoods (MetasequoiaMetasequoiaMetasequoia is a fast-growing, deciduous tree, and the sole living species, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, is one of three species of conifers known as redwoods. It is native to the Sichuan-Hubei region of China. Although the least tall of the redwoods, it grows to at least 200 feet in height...
), and dozens of unusual shrubs, vines, and herbaceous species recently collected from ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. - AustralasiaAustralasiaAustralasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
n - includes plants from AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
with southern beechBeechBeech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
es, BanksiaBanksiaBanksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
s, myrtles such as EucalyptusEucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
, cycads, and Phormiums. - California Native - with over 4,000 accessions, including nearly one-half of the state's native vascular plant species and 174 taxa on the California Native Plant SocietyCalifornia Native Plant SocietyThe California Native Plant Society is a California not-for-profit organization that seeks to increase understanding of California's native flora and to preserve that flora. Its "paramount purpose is to preserve wild plants".-History:...
's list of rare and endangered species, this is one of the most extensive collections in the world. Prominent genera are: manzanitaManzanitaManzanita is a common name for many species of the genus Arctostaphylos. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia, Washington to California, Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, and...
s (ArctostaphylosArctostaphylosArctostaphylos is a genus of plants comprised by the manzanitas and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees.There are about 60 species of Arctostaphylos, ranging from ground-hugging arctic, coastal, and mountain species to small trees up to 6 m tall. Most are evergreen , with small oval...
spp.) with 81 taxa (252 accessions), California-Lilacs (CeanothusCeanothusCeanothus L. is a genus of about 50–60 species of shrubs or small trees in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. The genus is confined to North America, the center of its distribution in California, with some species in the eastern United States and southeast Canada, and others extending as far south...
spp.) with 55 taxa (164 accessions), and an almost complete collection of California bulbous monocots in the Lily and AmaryllisAmaryllisAmaryllis is a small genus of flowering bulbs, with two species. The better known of the two, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest region near the Cape...
families (Fritillaria, CalochortusCalochortusCalochortus is a genus of bulbous plants that includes 70 species from British Columbia to Guatemala and east to Nebraska. Calochortus is the most widely dispersed genus of Liliaceae on the North American Pacific coast. Of these, 28 species are endemic to California...
, LiliumLiliumLilium is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs. Most species are native to the temperate northern hemisphere, though the range extends into the northern subtropics...
, ErythroniumErythroniumErythronium is a genus of 20-30 species of spring-flowering perennial plants with long, tooth-like bulbs and attractive pendant flowers, native to forest and meadow in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.-Species:-Uses:The bulb is edible as a root vegetable, cooked or dried, and can be...
, AlliumAlliumAllium is a monocot genus of flowering plants, informally referred to as the onion genus. The generic name Allium is the Latin word for garlic....
, BrodiaeaBrodiaeaBrodiaea is a monocot genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Brodiaeoideae, also known by the common name cluster-lilies...
) with 118 taxa (234 accessions) - Chinese Medicinal Herb Garden - growing selections from the everyday pharmacopeia of modern China.
- Mediterranean - exhibits flora from countries such as MoroccoMoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and the Canary IslandsCanary IslandsThe Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, on a hillside with fine views across the bay. - New WorldNew WorldThe New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
DesertDesertA desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
: bristles with cacti and other succulents from North and Central America, plus the high deserts of the AndesAndesThe Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
. - North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n: includes deciduous trees such as tulip tree (LiriodendronLiriodendronLiriodendron is a genus of two species of characteristically large deciduous trees in the magnolia family .These trees are widely known by the common name tulip tree or tuliptree for their large flowers superficially resembling tulips, but are closely related to magnolias rather than lilies, the...
), bald cypress (TaxodiumTaxodiumTaxodium is a genus of one to three species of extremely flood-tolerant conifers in the cypress family, Cupressaceae...
), and dogwoods (Cornus). - Meso American: shows the diversity of Central American habitats with genera found in both mountain and desert areas such as AgaveAgaveAgave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies ; they are commonly known as the century plant....
s, oaks (Quercus), pinePinePines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
s, and an extensive range of brightly-flowered SalviaSalviaSalvia is the largest genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, with approximately 700-900 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. It is one of several genera commonly referred to as sage. When used without modifiers, sage generally refers to Salvia officinalis ; however, it is...
s. - South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n - sports a young grove of monkey-puzzle trees (AraucariaAraucariaAraucaria is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. There are 19 extant species in the genus, with a highly disjunct distribution in New Caledonia , Norfolk Island, eastern Australia, New Guinea, Argentina, Chile, and southern Brazil.-Description:Araucaria are mainly...
araucana), an outstanding collection of FuchsiaFuchsiaFuchsia is a genus of flowering plants that consists mostly of shrubs or small trees. The first, Fuchsia triphylla, was discovered on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 1703 by the French Minim monk and botanist, Charles Plumier...
s, and several species of southern beechNothofagusNothofagus, also known as the southern beeches, is a genus of 35 species of trees and shrubs native to the temperate oceanic to tropical Southern Hemisphere in southern South America and Australasia...
. The garden has one of the most complete selections of cultivars of Lapageria.
The Garden's greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s are as follows: the Arid House presents seasonal exhibits of cacti and succulents. The Fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
and Carnivorous Plant
Carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants appear adapted to grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic...
s House display diverse ferns and unusual insect-eating plants. The Tropical House features tropical plants of economic value, and many curiosities such as the giant corpse lily Amorphophallus
Amorphophallus
Amorphophallus is a large genus of some 170 tropical and subtropical tuberous herbaceous plants from the Arum family...
.
Directors
- Edward Lee Green (1890-1895)
- Joseph Burtt DavyJoseph Burtt DavyJoseph Burtt Davy Joseph Burtt Davy Joseph Burtt Davy (7 March 1870 Findern, Derbyshire - 20 August 1940 Birmingham, was a Quaker botanist and agrostologist. He was the first curator of the Forest Herbarium at the when it was founded in 1924. He attended school at Ilkley in West Yorkshire...
(Informal)(1895-1902) - William Albert Setchell (1902-1928)
- Thomas Harper GoodspeedThomas Harper GoodspeedThomas Harper Goodspeed was a botanist specializing in the genetics of species Nicotiana. He was the director of the University of California Botanical Garden from 1919 to 1957...
(1928-1954) - Paul Licht (2003-)
External links
- The University of California Botanical Garden - Official website