Abstract

Since the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) was established in 1670 as a collection of medicinal plants, taxonomy has been at its heart. Even before the publication of Linnaeus’s Species Plantarum it was important to establish the correct identity of medicinal plants for use by the doctors of the day. Over the years the location and focus of the Garden have evolved to serve many and varied functions. Taxonomy, however, has continued to play a key role in preserving the special nature of RBGE as a ‘botanic garden’. From the earliest years exotic plants were introduced to the Garden, giving it an international flavour, and this has continued with staff today collaborating with many different gardens and botanical institutions around the world. For over 300 years living plants have been brought to the Garden, grown to maturity and described. Many of the early novelties came from North America and China, especially gymnosperms and rhododendrons. Today, much of our effort is focused on plants from areas that are botanically rich but poorly known, such as the Malesian region, and on families Begoniaceae, Gesneriaceae, Ericaceae and Zingiberaceae. The expertise and ingenuity of the horticultural staff have been essential in cultivating unknown species and bringing them into flower so that they can be scientifically described. This has been aided by an enlightened policy of including horticulturists on collecting expeditions so that their knowledge can be used to bring plants back in good health but also to better understand the natural conditions in which they grow so that the plants can be grown to perfection in Edinburgh.

Highlights

  • Since the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) was established in 1670 as a collection of medicinal plants, taxonomy has been at its heart

  • George A rgent a keen interest in David Douglas’s introductions of conifers and shrubs from North America; this was followed at the turn of the 20th century by the immense collections from China by Ernest Wilson, George Forrest and Frank Kingdon-Ward

  • Peter Wilkie has set up the Sapotaceae project, coordinated from Edinburgh but with worldwide links. He offers advice and is keen to glean information from the trees growing at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Bogor and other tropical botanic gardens, to which end he has been working closely with Prima Hutabarat from Kebun Raya, Bogor

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Summary

BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH

Since the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) was established in 1670 as a collection of medicinal plants, taxonomy has been at its heart. This expedition produced the first of the Malesian rhododendrons to be described from Edinburgh: Rhododendron yongii Argent, named after the director of forests in Sarawak This species had been collected earlier it had been confused with R. rugosum H.Low ex Hook.f. and only recognised for what it was from the field and garden observations. After the Mulu expedition in Sarawak, field work continued in Sabah in collaboration with Kinabalu Park This resulted in new species being described and in some of the Malaysian staff coming to Edinburgh for training in the growing and managing of ex situ collections. Peter Wilkie has set up the Sapotaceae project, coordinated from Edinburgh but with worldwide links He offers advice and is keen to glean information from the trees growing at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Bogor and other tropical botanic gardens, to which end he has been working closely with Prima Hutabarat from Kebun Raya, Bogor. Not least is the collaboration with local villagers who invariably share their own field knowledge freely and are often surprised at the interest and delight shown at what to them is commonplace in their local area

CONCLUSION
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