Collection Of Medicinal Plants Research Articles

Biologically active substances of <i>Helichrysum italicum</i> (Roth) G.Don

The article provides data on a comparative study of the content and component composition of essential oil, the total content of antioxidants and flavonoids of two cultivars and two promising cultivar samples of Italian strawflower ( Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don) grown on the Southern Coast of the Crimea in the collection of aromatic and medicinal plants of the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens. It has been found that the content of essential oil in the green weight of top of H. italicum varies from 0.1% of the wet weight (‘Crystal’ cultivar) to 0.2 (cultivar No. 5). The main components of ‘VIM’ cultivar essential oil are α-pinene and D-limonene, of ‘Crystal’ cultivar is neril acetate, of the sample No. 5 is α-pinene and rosiforiol, of the sample No. 158 is neryl acetate and γ-turmeric. A significant relative content of β-diketones (38%) in the essential oil of ‘Crystal’ cultivar was noted. The greatest amount of antioxidants (2.59 mg / g (in conversion to quercetin) and flavonoids (0.366%) in the inflorescences of Italian strawflower ‘VIM’ cultivar is contained in the budding phase. The results of chromatographic analysis prove the presence of 4 phenolic substances in the inflorescences of Italian strawflower. UV-spectra of alcohol solutions of the studied raw materials had a maximum absorption at a wavelength of 418 ± 2nm. Quantitative determination of flavonoids by differential spectroscopy calculated as isosalipurposide showed that the content of flavonoids in inflorescences varies from 0.262% to 0.366% depending on a cultivar and a phase of vegetation.

Environment and livelihood of the Kouni community of the Kayes sub-prefecture (Bouenza, Congo)

Background : The rainforest is a source of particularly diversified natural goods and services, satisfying at least 80% of the population's needs. Notwithstanding the intimate link between population and biodiversity, anthropogenic pressure and its corollaries, such as global climate change, have led to a specific and genetic erosion of about 30% over the last three decades. The major causes of these are, in the case of the Congo, anarchic urbanization, construction of physical communication infrastructures without an environmental and social impact assessment; and unbridled collection of medicinal plants for commercial purposes. The loss of biodiversity is a clear sign of unsustainable use of natural resources, which the traditional societies depends on for their livelihoods. Methods : Our study conducted at Mvouandzi, sub-prefecture of Kayes (Congo), is based on the ethnobotanical knowledge survey and floristic inventory. The informants, aged between 15 and 50 years or more comprised 25 men and 43 women who possess plant secrets. Prior to fieldwork, we reviewed existing literature that provided information on the status of inventoried species, their phytogeographic distribution, and known uses within their range. The ethnobotanical knowledge survey took place in two phases, namely: work with focus groups and conducting personalized interviews with the informants; and the collection of samples coupled, when possible, to the participatory approach. Results : The floristic inventory lists 81 useful species, corresponding to 72 genera and 43 families. Some species are multi-purpose, and 26 of the 60 medicinal plants inventoried are specifically associated with the traditional pharmacopoeia. 36 species are multi-purpose and the others 15 intervene specially in food, 26 in phytotherapy, and 5 in handicrafts. The high values of the ethnobotanical indices (the ethnobotanical use value (VU), the informant consensus factor (CFI), and the level of fidelity (NF)) show a strong involvement of these taxa in the daily life of this traditional society. Sociological analysis reveals that the level of ethnobotanical knowledge is proportional to the subjects’ age and in this matter, women excel in the exploitation of empirical knowledge. Conclusions : The Kouni community possesses a sophisticated ethnobotanical knowledge, which is a fundamental part of socio-cultural base of the Kouni community and an important cultural asset of Congolese nation. However, the Kouni community is shrinking due to rural exodus. Therefore, documenting the existing traditional knowledge is the first priority to preserve the Kouni cultural diversity. Keywords : Congo, Mvouandzi, ecosystem services, traditional knowledge, phytodiversity.

Проблемы использования и воспроизводства фитогенных пищевых и лекарственных ресурсов леса на землях лесного фонда Костромской области

The article provides the results of studies on the assessment of the potential of the phytogenic food and medicinal resources of the forest on the lands of the forest fund of the Kostroma region. The authors note that the forests of the region have large reserves of these resources, but their level of use remains low – on average in the region of 10 %. Harvesting of food forest resources and collection of medicinal plants as a type of business activity are not practiced, there is no lease of forest plots for this purpose. At the same time, the share of non-wood forest products accounts for more than 10 % of the total value of all forest products and in some cases exceeds the cost of wood. Zoning of food and medicinal plants in the Kostroma region by the largest biological reserves of resources is given. Potential centers for industrial procurement and processing of food and medicine resources have been identified. The resource,technological and economic justification for the organization of the preparation and processing of food and medicinal resources on an industrial basis. Particular attention should be paid to the organization and intensification of the cultivation of forest fruit, berry, ornamental and medicinal plants, the development of technology and agricultural technology of the cultivation of berry crops, the breeding of new highly productive varieties.For citation: Makarov S.S. Bagaev E.S., Tsaregradskaya S.Yu., Kuznetsova I.B. Рroblems of use and Reproduction of Phytogenic Food and medicinal Forest Resources on the Forest Fund Lands of the Kostroma region. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2019, no. 6, pp. 118–131. DOI: 10.17238/issn0536-1036.2019.6.118 *The article is published within the framework of implementation of the scientific journals development program in 2019

Searching Process using Bayer Moore Algorithm in Medicinal Information Media

Indonesia is one of the giant centers of biodiversity, there are many types of plants that can be used as a medicine. Based on medicinal plants collection of Bogor Botanical Garden which has the potential as medicine consists of 764 species, 465 genus and 135 families. So in search of herbs manually becomes difficult. Therefore, to facilitate the search for information about the plume of drugs, required an effective and easy to use information media by the community. In this research we used Boyer Moore algorithm to execute the searching process. This research shows the process of string matching using a Boyer-Moore algorithm in the form of visual simulation by doing string searching of a pattern string, The results show that the algorithm can be used to the searching process

Non-random medicinal plants selection in the Kichwa community of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

The non-random selection of medicinal plants theory, which predicts taxonomical biases in ethnopharmacopeias, indirectly demonstrates that traditional medicinal systems are rational and based in part on the therapeutic efficacy of plants. This theory suggests that because members of a taxonomical group share similar characteristics, some groups will be over-utilized in pharmacopeias, while other groups bereft of therapeutic potential will be under-utilized medicinally. Empirical evidence fo this theory comes from studies that used data collected at the national level which may lead to the overestimation of medicinal plant list given that some parts of the country (e.g., protected areas) can be unavailable for medicinal plant collection. Similarly, because medicinal plant importance and knowledge can be gender-specific and depends on the degree of exposure of a community, failure to account for gender and community experience can limit our understanding of non-random selection of medicinal plants. In this study, we used the negative binomial model and an examination of studentized residuals to demonstrate that a Kichwa community in the Ecuadorian Amazon over-utilized different sets of medicinal plant families depending on the gender of the informants or the experience of the community. We showed that utilizing local data instead of nationwide data reveals new over-utilized families. Seven of the nine most over-utilized medicinal plant families we found were previously reported in different biogeographical regions. The other two families are novel reports. Overall, our study proposes a novel method to uncover the intracultural heterogeneity of traditional knowledge and people non-random selection of medicinal plants at the local level.

Assessment of genetic resources of medicinal plants collection of M.M. Gryshko National Botanic Garden of the NAS of Ukraine

Aim. The purpose of the work was to analyze the collection fund of medicinal plants of the Medical Botany laboratory at M.M. Gryshko National Botanic Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Methods. We used the methods of information analysis and synthesis and computer methods of information database processing. Results. The stages of collection formation, created by attracting seed and planting material from the natural flora of Ukraine and by exchange with the botanical gardens of Ukraine and the world are shown. Selection of the source material was carried out taking into account the introduction methods of genus complexes and climatic analogues. The carried out analysis of the taxonomic composition was represented by species belonging to 62 families. The collection has 388 species, including 385 flowering plants, 2 gymnosperms, 1 fern. Among them there are: 280 perennials, 52 biennials, 53 annuals. The introduced plants make up the significant percentage of the collections. Considerable attention is paid to the preservation of the collection fund valuable varieties. The rare and endangered medicinal plant species cultivated and conserving in the collection. Conclusions. The collection of the Medical Botany laboratory is a valuable gene pool of medicinal plants, including rare and endangered listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine; material is not only for scientific research, but it is also is a base of scientific and educational activities for students, post-graduate students and schoolchildren.
 Keywords: genetic resources, collection fund, medicinal plants, introduced plants, rare plants.

Dynamics of the giant panda habitat suitability in response to changing anthropogenic disturbance in the Liangshan Mountains

Through decades of conservation efforts at the national and worldwide scales, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) has been downgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. The decision has not gone unquestioned, however. Although the population has increased, pandas still face serious human disturbances (e.g., livestock grazing and logging). Human disturbance is a crucial factor affecting the distribution of wildlife and their habitats, and evaluating the change of habitat quality in response to this disturbance is vital to wildlife conservation. However, the quantification of human activity variables that result in habitat changes has been rare. To fill this knowledge gap, we used human disturbance (i.e., livestock grazing, logging, farming, collection of bamboo shoots, collection of medicinal plants, road construction), environmental (i.e., forest cover, elevation, slope) and panda GPS locational data to evaluate panda habitat suitability and space use, the impact of human disturbance on panda habitat, and the distribution characteristics of human disturbances over time. Our results show that pandas' habitat suitability has improved, with substantial areas of stabilizing and increasing habitat across our Liangshan Mountains study area between the 3rd national survey of the giant panda (2000) to the 4th national survey of the giant panda (2012). The percent contribution of human disturbance variables to MaxEnt panda habitat suitability models decreased greatly between the 3rd and 4th survey (93.6% to 59.5%), which was especially driven by the decrease in logging's contribution (78% to 19%). The percent contribution of environmental variables consequently increased (6.4% to 40.5%), the largest growth occurring in the forest cover variable (2.7% to 14.2%). Our results also indicate that panda space use expanded between the national surveys. It is concerning that human disturbances are still widely distributed and the percent contribution of some disturbance variables to panda habitat suitability increased. For example, livestock grazing went from a 1.4% to 13.1% contribution between the 3rd and 4th national surveys, and indicates a need to strengthen management in this area. The methods used in this study could also be applied to the assessment of human disturbance effects on habitat quality for other species, and our results provide scientific support to relevant management departments for wildlife and biodiversity conservation in South-central China.

Phytotherapeutic Practices of a Folk Medicinal Practitioner in Tangail District, Bangladesh: Comparison with Ayurvedic Uses

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to document the therapeutic uses of plants by a folk medicinal practitioner (FMP) in Tangail district, Bangladesh and compare such uses with Ayurvedic uses. Methods: Interviews of the FMP was conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field- walk method. Plant specimens were photographed and identified by a competent botanist and deposited at the Medicinal Plant Collection Wing of the University of Development Alternative. Results: The FMP was observed to use a total of nine plants to treat a number of ailments including diabetes, obesity, rheumatism, filariasis, gastrointestinal disorders, reproductive disorders, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory disorders, abscess, thyroid problems, snake bite, fever, high cholesterol, aging, and cancer. Conclusion: Comparison of the folk medicinal uses of the plants with established Ayurvedic uses suggests that at least a part of the knowledge of the FMP may have been derived from Ayurvedic practices

STUDY OF THE LIFE CYCLE OF THLASPI ARVENSE L. IN CENTRAL YAKUTIA

Аim. In this paper, we set out to study the life cycle of Thlaspi arvense L. in Central Yakutia.Methods. The studies were carried out in a culture at the nursery for the collection of medicinal plants of the Yakut Botanical Garden (Institute for Biological Problems of Cryolithozone SB RAS).Results. While the plant in question has a high rate of aerial part development, its underground part falls behind in terms of mass development as compared to its aerial part. The pre‐generative period lasts for 13‐17 days. Small white flowers of the plant form a corymbosepaniculate inflorescence (1.0–4.5 cm in height; 52–67 flowers per inflorescence). The plant reaches 18.0–29.0 cm in height and has 19–24 leaves. The generative state lasts for 49–55 days.Conclusions. Freshly harvested seeds of T. arvense are in non‐deep physiological dormancy; their laboratory germination rate amounted to 2%. Following 6 months of dry storage, 100% germination of seeds was noted. However, the course of germination changed dramatically becoming explosive in nature. The life cycle of T. arvense lasts for one growing season (70–76 days). Three periods and five developmental states in the ontogeny of T. arvense have been identified.

Antioxidant activity and phenolic profile of a collection of medicinal plants from Tunisian arid and Saharan regions

Desert plants are a potentially sustainable source of bioactive molecules. This paper investigates phenolic profile, total polyphenols, flavonoids and condensed tannins in a collection of desert shrubs of Tunisian flora (Pituranthos tortuosus; Retama raetam; Ephedra alata; Ziziphus lotus; Capparis spinoza; Calligonum comosum). The collection was build according to people traditional tendency uses. The chemical composition was estimated in ethanol extracts of aerial parts together with a comparison of antioxidant activities. The results were significantly dependent on plant material source. Phenolic contents ranged from 15.52 to 37.5 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g of Dry Weight (DW) of plant, and flavonoids ranged from 2.92 to 9.14 mg of rutin equivalents (RE)/g DW. The phenolic profile was composed of 23 compounds identified through LC-ESI–MS analysis. Five phenolic acids (quinic acid, gallic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, and trans-Ferulic acid) and five flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, rutin, quercetrin and naringenin) were predominant and common between plants. Based on all data visualized within the heatmap, plants were clustered into two groups. The tow species Z. lotus and E. alata were selected for their highest antioxidant potential. These results allowed us to select the combination of three phenolic acids (rutin, qurectrin, quinic acid) that seems determinant in the strong antioxidant capacity. In addition, the possible domestication and cultivation of the two selected plants are discussed.

Possible directions for the development of bio-economy in Irkutsk region

At the present stage of economic development, considerable attention is paid to the bioeconomy in order to ensure sustainable development. Bioeconomics is an economic mechanism for modernizing and building the post-industrial economy, including preservation and development of the bio-resource potential of the Russian Federation. The purpose of this work was to assess possibilities of bioeconomic development in Irkutsk region in terms of the use of renewable forest resources and its contribution to the gross regional product. Irkutsk region has unique forest resources and is one of the most densely forested among the subjects of the Russian Federation. Therefore, the most important specialization of Irkutsk region is the forest industry represented by timber logging, the production of deep processing products (lumber, fibreboard, chipboard, plywood), pulp-and-paper industry. In addition to large timber reserves, the forests of Irkutsk region have a high potential for the use of non-timber resources which can be a significant factor in bioeconomy. This is the preparation of resin; production of non-timber forest resources; preparation of food forest resources and collection of medicinal plants; implementation of activities in the field of hunting; farming; implementation of recreational activities; cultivation of forest fruit, berry, ornamental plants, medicinal plants, etc. The paper analyzed non-timber forest resources of Irkutsk region and determined their contribution to the gross regional product by the example of picking berries, ferns, mushrooms, etc. It is established that approximately 20% of the sale of forest is contribution of non-timber forest resources to the regional economy.

Local Knowledge of Past and Present Uses of Medicinal Plants in Prespa National Park, Albania

Ethnobotanical studies have highlighted the need to address temporal dynamics of local knowledge in response to socio-economic changes. The southwestern Balkans are a hotspot of folk botanical knowledge and represent a unique region to study such dynamics. The present study focused on changes in ethnomedicinal knowledge in the rural mountains of Prespa National Park, Albania. The resident ethnic Macedonian minority was fairly isolated under communism (1946–1991), with a long tradition of wild medicinal plant collection. We identified 80 adults and 20 young community members through snowball sampling based on knowledgeability of medicinal plants. In-depth open and semi-structured interviews, free-listing, and participant observation elicited ethnomedicinal knowledge on past and present uses. We recorded 82 botanical taxa belonging to 39 families. Cultural importance analyses showed that Sideritis raeseri Boiss. & Heldr. was by far the culturally most salient species. Informants perceived a steep increase in home consumption of medicinal plants compared to the communist period, despite increased globalization and market liberalization. Trade had significantly decreased but remained an important fallback option in times of economic uncertainty. We observed the phenomenon of knowledge hybridization through access to “modern” knowledge and homogenization through political influences, pointing towards a both resilient and dynamic body of knowledge.

TO THE QUESTION OF STANDARDIZATION OF THE TARRAGON RAW

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) is a spicy aromatic culture, perspective to use in the food and medical industry. In the collection of aromatic and medicinal plants of the Nikita Botanical Gardens, tarragon is represented by two varieties: Isumrud and Travnevy. The Isumrud variety is characterized by a high content of essential oil (0.6% of the wet weight) of the methylchavicol chemotype (the main component of the essential oil is methylchavicol, whose mass fraction is up to 91%) and is perspective to use not only as a spice, but also in medicine as a reducing facilities. The variety Travnevy contains only 0.1% of the essential oil from the wet mass of the sabineno-elemicin chemotype (the main components of the essential oil are sabinen (40.0%) and trans-from-iso-elemicin – 26.1%), characterized by high productivity of the aerial mass (12 kg/m2), the main direction of use in the food industry as a spice. Due to the lack of requirements for dry raw tarragon, we have developed a draft technical specifications for dry crushed tarragon raw materials TS 01.28.30-009-01579640-2018. Specifications apply to dried whole and crushed raw materials, intended for the manufacture of water and water-alcohol infusions, as a source of biologically active substances, as a component for seasonings to meat, fish dishes, for use in cooking, as well as in the production of alcohol and soft drinks. The main physicochemical indicators of whole and crushed tarragon raw materials (type, size, smell, taste, mass fraction of essential oil, impurities, moisture, ash) are presented.

The Use of Medicinal Plants in the Riverside Community of the Mazagão River in the Brazilian Amazon, Amapá, Brazil: Ethnobotanical and Ethnopharmacological Studies.

The inhabitants of the floodplain of the Mazagão River in the State of Amapá in the Brazilian Amazon have inherited from indigenous African and Cabocla cultures indications for the use and forms of preparation of medicinal plants to cure diseases of the body and spirit. This study aimed to perform an ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by the riparian community of the floodplains of the Mazagão River, in the State of Amapá. In this study, we chose semistructured interviews with socioeconomic, ethnopharmacological, and ethnobotanical aims. The collection of medicinal plants occurred during guided tours. The Use Value (UV), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Correction Factor (CF), and Fidelity level (FL) were calculated. There were 130 species of medicinal plants, distributed in 116 genera and 57 families; Fabaceae (16), Lamiaceae (14), Euphorbiaceae (7), and Arecaceae (6) include 33.33% of the total species sampled. All 95 native species of floodplain forests were previously described, and 35 are exotic species. The species with the highest UV (≥ 0.5) at the mouth of the Mazagão River were Carapa guianensis (0.91), Pentachlethra macroloba (0.83), Dalbergia subcymosa (0.77), Uncaria tomentosa (0.75), Otacanthus azureus (0.62), Virola surinamensis (0.62), Hura crepitans (0.58), Euterpe oleracea (0.56), and Arrabidaea chica (0.51). These species were also the ones that presented the highest ICF among the informants and 100% in FL for a specific therapeutic use. The study is comprised of 16 categories of therapeutic use, of which the majority of the plants used are related to diseases such as microbial infections (20.67%, 73 species), gastrointestinal disorders (13.31%), and inflammation (11.61%). The results showed that knowledge about the use of medicinal plants along the rivers and streams that form the mouth of the Mazagão River is evenly distributed. Most of the interviewees present diversified knowledge about the medicinal resources because they have a close relationship with the floodplain forest. Native species of this forest predominate among the most commonly used medicinal plants as subsidies for future pharmacological studies.

Коллекция лекарственных растений как база для подготовки специалистов в области фармации

Коллекция лекарственных растений как база для подготовки специалистов в области фармации

Wild medicinal plant collection in transitional societies: A case Analysis from French Guiana

The gathering of medicinal plants in French Guiana is a relatively unknown practice, underestimated and often perceived as an anecdotic or insignificant one. However, everyday people can be seen harvesting plants on the road sides, for their own needs or in small proportions, for selling. This paper aims to characterise these medicinal plants’ collection practices, their diversity and their relevance for questioning the functioning of societies, which are subjected to rapid transformations and are therefore designed here as “transitional”. Through two case studies, one on urban collection in Cayenne city and one in the rural area along the lower Maroni River, this paper analyses the connection between societies, nature and urban dynamics. By observing the socio-cultural specificities influencing collection modes, we propose a conceptualization scheme of collection practices, through the explanatory concepts of heterogeneity and purpose.

Коллекция лекарственных растений ботанического сада имени И. И. Спрыгина Пензенского государственного университета

Коллекция лекарственных растений ботанического сада имени И. И. Спрыгина Пензенского государственного университета

Relation of medicinal plants, their use patterns and availability in the lower Kailash Sacred Landscape, Nepal

Background : Conservation of useful plants can be maintained and enhanced once the complexities of a cultural landscape and knowledge, and principles of resource utilization are understood. We studied the factors influencing indigenous knowledge of medicinal plant collection and utilization in the lower Kailash Sacred Landscape, Nepal. Methods : A total of 62 respondents aged ≥ 60 years, including 42 plant collectors and 20 traditional healers from nine villages of Baitadi, Dadeldhura and Darchula districts, far western Nepal were consulted for this survey following snow-ball sampling and village references. Results : Results showed that the area is rich in useful plants and indigenous therapeutic knowledge. One hundred and sixty medicinal and 75 non-medicinal plant-uses from 44 species were documented from 30 sample respondents. The average number of useful plants reported by healers and elders was expectedly higher (11.4±4.19) than the knowledge of laypeople. Women more knowledgeable in identifying the useful plants.When classifying 27 uses according to the level of species redundancy, we found that 20 uses were ‘not very redundant’, six ‘redundant’ and one ‘highly redundant’. The large number of ‘non-redundant’ uses indicates that plant use in the area is restricted to species and the utilization pattern is specific. Conclusion : Even though the life form and plant availability influence the plant use, the accessibility of habitats where the plant grow have stronger association with the plants’ usefulness. The recent changes in socio-economy, culture, environment and land-use plague the conservation of plants resulting in jeopardy in integrity of plants, people and places.

Change in forest and vegetation cover influencing distribution and uses of plants in the Kailash Sacred Landscape, Nepal

The study of vegetation and land-use change has been frequently used to assess the anthropogenic impacts on the distribution and uses of medicinal plant species. Using data from ecological investigations, remote sensing and participant observations, the nexus of socioeconomy, forest management and conservation of medicinal plants can be analyzed. In the current study, we employed a similar approach to study the impact of forest and vegetation cover, socioeconomic changes on plant distribution and use in remote and rural districts of Nepal. We have used remote-sensing data to analyze the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Leaf Area Index (LAI) as proxies to analyze the changes in forest cover and vegetation. Informant interviews and group discussions were held with local participants to assess their opinion about the uses and distribution of plants, forests and vegetation. While the overall vegetation cover was decreasing, a fluctuated pattern was recorded with a reduction in NDVI from 2000 to 2008, and subsequent increase after that. A positive correlation between LAI and NDVI was found, but the index varied spatially and temporally and sometimes was negatively correlated as NDVI saturated and became insensitive. Due to decreasing old-growth primary forests, land-use changes, and increasing sociocultural transformations, we found that the tradition of transhumance and collection of indigenous medicinal plants were rapidly being changed and the non-indigenous plants were increasingly being collected from the accessible forest areas and human-derived landscapes. These changes help us conclude that the salient sites and species are being assimilated in the local traditions; making traditional systems more versatile, diverse and adaptive.

Waiting for the Flowers

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.