Orto Botanico dell'Università di Cagliari
Encyclopedia
The Orto Botanico dell'Università di Cagliari (5 hectares), also known as the Orto Botanico di Cagliari, is a botanical garden
operated by the University of Cagliari
and located at Viale S. Ignazio da Laconi 9-11, Cagliari
, Sardinia
, Italy
.
The garden was inaugurated in 1866 under the direction of Prof. Patrizio Gennari. Its first seed index was published in 1885, and by 1901 the garden contained some 430 species
(of which 36 were killed by that year's deep frost). The garden was damaged in World War II
but has subsequently been restored.
Today the garden contains some 2000 species, predominantly of Mediterranean origin but with a good collection of succulents and tropical plants as well. The garden is organized into three major sections:
All told, the garden contains some 600 trees and 550 shrubs. Of particular interest is its palm collection (4000 m²), with 60 specimens representing 16 species, and a magnificent specimen of Euphorbia canariensis
spreading across 100 m². The site also contains ancient Roman
cisterns and natural caves.
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...
operated by the University of Cagliari
University of Cagliari
The University of Cagliari is a university located in Cagliari, Italy. It was founded in 1620 and is organized in 11 Faculties.-History:The Studium Generalis Kalaritanum was founded in 1606 along the lines of the old Spanish Universities of Salamanca, Valladolid and Lérida...
and located at Viale S. Ignazio da Laconi 9-11, Cagliari
Cagliari
Cagliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships : Elmas, Assemini, Capoterra, Selargius, Sestu, Monserrato, Quartucciu, Quartu...
, Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
The garden was inaugurated in 1866 under the direction of Prof. Patrizio Gennari. Its first seed index was published in 1885, and by 1901 the garden contained some 430 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...
(of which 36 were killed by that year's deep frost). The garden was damaged in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
but has subsequently been restored.
Today the garden contains some 2000 species, predominantly of Mediterranean origin but with a good collection of succulents and tropical plants as well. The garden is organized into three major sections:
- Mediterranean plants - representing the three bands of SardiniaSardiniaSardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
n vegetation as well as species 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...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, etc. - Succulent plants - about 1000 succulents from EchinocereusEchinocereusEchinocereus is a genus of ribbed, usually small to medium-sized cylindrical cacti, comprising about 70 species from the southern United States and Mexico in very sunny rocky places...
, Euphorbia, LampranthusLampranthusLampranthus is a genus of plants in the family Aizoaceae. All are succulent plants.One of the species in this genus is L. roseus, the mini ice plant.-Reproduction:...
, MammillariaMammillariaThe genus Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family , with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras.The first was described by...
, OpuntiaOpuntiaOpuntia, also known as nopales or paddle cactus , is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae.Currently, only prickly pears are included in this genus of about 200 species distributed throughout most of the Americas. Chollas are now separated into the genus Cylindropuntia, which some still consider...
, etc., in a greenhouseGreenhouseA greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
and outdoors, roughly equally divided between 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 and AmericanAmericasThe Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
origin. - Tropical plants
All told, the garden contains some 600 trees and 550 shrubs. Of particular interest is its palm collection (4000 m²), with 60 specimens representing 16 species, and a magnificent specimen of Euphorbia canariensis
Euphorbia canariensis
Euphorbia canariensis, commonly known as the Canary Island Spurge or as Hercules Club to horticulturalistsis a succulent member of the family Euphorbiaceae and genus Euphorbia that grows natively in the arid and humid environment of the lowest areas in the Canary Islands where it is also endemic...
spreading across 100 m². The site also contains ancient Roman
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
cisterns and natural caves.