Indian Botanical Gardens

The Indian Botanical Gardens, Howrah are situated in Shibpur, Howrah near Kolkata. They are commonly known as the Calcutta Botanical Garden, and previously as "The Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta" [ [http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/C_0011.htm "Calcutta Botanical Garden", "Banglapedia"] ] . The gardens exhibit a wide variety of rare plants and a total collection of over 12,000 specimens spread over 109 hectares.

The best-known landmark of the garden is The Great Banyan, an enormous banyan tree ("Ficus bengalhensis") that is reckoned to be the largest tree in the world, at more than 330 metres in circumference. They are also famous for their enormous collections of orchids, bamboos, palms, and plants of the screw pine genus ("Pandanus").

The gardens were founded in 1787 by Colonel Robert Kyd, an army officer of the British East India Company, primarily for the purpose of identifying new plants of commercial value, such as teak, and growing spices for trade [ [http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101015814/ Oxford dictionary of national biography] ] .

A major change in policy, however, was introduced by the botanist William Roxburgh after he became superintendent of the garden in 1793. Roxburgh brought in plants from all over India and developed an extensive herbarium. This collection of dried plant specimens eventually became the Central National Herbarium of the Botanical Survey of India, which comprises 2,500,000 items.

Over the years attractive display gardens for the public have been developed and many kinds of plants have been cultivated for scientific observation. During the 1970s the garden initiated a program to introduce improved food plants and other varieties of economic benefit to the people of India.

Indian Botanical Gardens can be reached by taking a ferry service from Bichali Ghat, in Metiabruz. Presently, the easiest way to reach there is by passing over the Vidyasagar Setu as one of the exits from this bridge leads to the garden.

Notes

References

* [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?aid=450989 Adrian P. Thomas, "The Establishment of Calcutta Botanic Garden: Plant Transfer, Science and the East India Company, 1786–1806", "Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society" (2006), 16: 165-177 Cambridge University Press]

External links

* [http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/B_0600.htm Botanical garden in Banglapedia]