fifty sights at the botanical garden

FIFTY SIGHTS AT THE BOTANICAL GARDEN for passers-by, strollers and real enthusiasts

A Guide TO the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science University of Zagreb

Editors: Vanja Stamenković & Sanja Kovačić Authors: Biserka Juretić, Sanja Kovačić, Darko Mihelj, Dubravka Sandev and Vanja Stamenković

On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the Botanical Garden, Zagreb, June 2014.

University of Zagreb Faculty of Science Department of Biology Botanical Garden Trg Marka Marulića 9a, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia  +385 (0)1 48 98 060 (ext. 2)  [email protected] http://hirc.botanic.hr/vrt/home.htm Publisher: Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia For the Publisher: Prof. Zoran Curić, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Science Editors: Vanja Stamenković & Sanja Kovačić Text Authors: Biserka Juretić, MSc (B. J.), Sanja Kovačić, PhD (S. K.), Darko Mihelj, BSc (D. M.), Dubravka Sandev, BSc (D. S.), Vanja Stamenković, PhD (V. S.) Photos by: Vanja Stamenković & Darko Mihelj (Botanical Garden, Faculty of Science); Mirna Kirin & Nikola Piasevoli (Friends of the Botanical Garden) Consulting Editor: Asst. Prof. Renata Šoštarić, PhD (Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia) English Consulting Editor: William M. M. Eddie, PhD (Office of Lifelong Learning, Open Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK) Translation: ABIS d.o.o., Zagreb Design & Print: Ermego d.o.o., Zagreb ISBN: 978-953-6076-30-7

 Red Path – for passers-by: for those who can devote at least 45

minutes to their visit

  Blue Path – for strollers: for those who can devote one hour or

more to their visit

 Green Path – for real enthusiasts: for those who can devote

two hours or more to their visit

Welcome! The Botanical Garden of the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb (hereinafter referred to as the Botanical Garden or simply Garden), stretches across an area of slightly more than 4 hectares in the very heart of the Croatian capital. If you take an energetic stroll, it will take you less than half an hour to see the entire Garden. If, on the other hand, you decide to take your time to explore the Garden, relax and rest in it, as well as learn and see something new, you can easily spend half a day. Let us guide your visit! This is the fifth, fully revised edition of the Guide to the Botanical Garden. Since people’s interests and lifestyles change over time, this latest edition of the Guide has been adjusted to meet the needs of 21st century visitors with limited and, therefore, much valued leisure time; people who cannot stay in one place for too long because they are always in a hurry, yet people who love nature, plants and gardens. In this Guide, we will describe three different tours through the Garden intended for three different types of visitors. If, for example, you are just passing by while waiting to change trains at the nearby Central Railway Station and have only about 45 minutes to spend at the Garden, take the Red Path – The Path for the Passers-by. By taking a more energetic walk and following the Red Path marks, you will have enough time to walk through the Botanical Garden and see about fifteen of its most significant sights. You can read about the rest on the train! If, on the other hand, you have an hour or two to spend at the Garden, take the Blue Path – The Path for the Strollers. By following the Blue Path, you will have a chance to see the wider area of the Garden and about thirty interesting sights. Finally, if you have an entire morning or you wish to spend a pleasant afternoon at the Garden, take the Green Path – The Path for the Real Enthusiasts, also the longest path through the Garden. By following the Green Path, you will be able to see all the important sights of the Garden: collections of the indigenous Croatian flora, beds of ornamental plants, valuable tree specimens and interesting buildings, as well as visit the exhibition in our exhibition pavilion. You will also have time to take a break and rest on a bench in the shade, stop to enjoy the singing of the birds, exchange a few words with the employees or other visitors, and browse through our souvenirs. 3

On most of the locations that the paths lead you to, there are information boards with plenty of additional interesting information. If you wish to find out more, please visit our website. Whichever path you take, please respect the Rules of Behavior displayed at every entrance to the Garden. Major restoration works have just commenced at the Botanical Garden, so that certain species may not be available at the locations described herein and certain sights may not be accessible at the moment. Further details are provided in the Guide. So, take a walk, relax and enjoy!

Original plan of the Botanical Garden, 1889

Plan of the Botanical Garden by Prof. Antun Heinz, 1896 4

Editors

The History of the Garden The idea of establishing a botanical garden for the Department of Botany and Physiology of the Faculty of Philosophy was initiated by Prof. Bohuslav Jiruš, the first professor of botany at the University of Zagreb. His successor, Prof. Antun Heinz, brought this idea to life and established the Botanical Garden in 1889. It is interesting to note that, at that time, Zagreb had a population of only 38,000 living in 2,000 houses, but the University had already been there for 220 years. The first design and construction works in the Garden started in 1890, and the first planting started in 1892. The plants were arranged according to their phylogenetic relationships, while Founder of the Botanical Garden, Prof. attention was also paid to the aesthetic Antun Heinz value of the beds. Most of the Garden was built in the landscape style (the socalled English style) with randomly planted groups of trees and bushes, and meandering paths. Only the parterre (ornamental flower beds) located south of the greenhouse was built in the French style, according to a strict geometrical and symmetrical ground plan. By the beginning of the 20th century, after only ten years of operation, the Botanical Garden was already rich in species, aesthetically well-designed and carefully maintained, as was repeatedly noted by Prof. Heinz. Since 1892, public toilets, two artificial small lakes, basins with a fountain in the parterre south of the greenhouse and other ancillary structures have been built, in addition to the gardening house (1890), the greenhouse and the exhibition pavilion (1891). The first excursion aimed at gathering living plants for the Botanical Garden was organised as early as 1908. During the excursion, 128 species of indigenous flora from the surroundings of Zagreb, Samobor and Gorski kotar were collected. For a few years, a marine aquarium (1911), built as part of the greenhouse, was one of the Garden’s attractions. It was removed to make space for a tall greenhouse for palms, but probably also because of the high maintenance costs. During the 5

First World War and the economic crisis, the Botanical Garden entered a very difficult period and was closed to the public for a while. However, in spite of the difficulties, a karstic phytogeographic section, the first rockery intended for indigenous species of the Croatian flora, was built in 1927 at the initiative of Prof. Ivo Horvat. It was followed by phytogeographic sections intended for Alpine (1949), Mediterranean (1954), Sub-Mediterranean (1965) and Western European (1983) groups. The latest Mediterranean phytogeographic section was built for the group of plants thriving in sunny habitats (2009). A special section for commercial and medicinal plants was built in front of the exhibition pavilion in 1934. During the 1940s, i.e. during the war and post-war years, only the essential parts of the Garden were maintained. The Garden was damaged by bombing and closed to the public again. It took a long time and effort to restore the war-damaged and long-neglected Garden. To address these problems, the position of Director of the Garden was established in 1948, which was served successfully by Dr. Sala Ungar until 1978. During that time, much effort was put into cataloguing and increasing the plant collection, with a special emphasis on collecting plants from their natural habitats. All the relevant data about the cultivated species were entered in the register, which

Our Garden is recognised primarily for its collection of wild plants indigenous to Croatia, most of which grow on phytogeographic vegetation beds, popularly known as rockeries. The Croatian flora is the third richest in Europe (after Slovenia and Albania ), measured by the ratio between the total number of species and the total surface area of the country. This extraordinary richness is a result of a number of favorable circumstances. Croatia is situated on the boundary between the continental and the Mediterranean climatic zones and was less affected by the Ice Ages, so that many species have survived as relict species. Even though Croatia is a relatively small country, it stretches across as many as four of the nine European biogeographical regions: the Alpine, the Continental, the Mediterranean and the Pannonian. The large diversity of land relief (relatively high mountain belts, karstic fields, numerous river valleys and extremely indented coastlines with more than 1,000 islands and islets) contributes to the preservation of a large number of plant species as well as the development of endemic species. (D. M., S. K.) 6

Nurseries and Greenhouses, 1893

is still kept today. Two editions of the Guide were published during that time as well as the regular annual Delectus Seminum catalogues of the seeds for exchange with botanical gardens worldwide. The systematic field intended particularly for students of plant taxonomy was built in 1954. In 1969, the Botanical Garden participated for the first time at the annual Flower Fair (predecessor of the modern FloraArt show) and received an award. The Garden has also won numerous other awards at subsequently organised flower fairs. On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of its establishment, the Tourist Board of the City of Zagreb awarded the Botanical Garden a diploma plaque for ‘the exceptional contribution to the tourism of the City of Zagreb’. Because of its significant educational, cultural, historical and touristic value and the overall importance for the City of Zagreb and the Republic of Croatia, the Botanical Garden was proclaimed a statutorily protected monument of garden architecture in 1971. During the 1980s, the Garden was carefully maintained, redesigned and restored (greenhouses, decorative wrought-iron fence, public toilets, small lakes and a small bridge), so that it would truly ‘shine’ on its 100th anniversary. After a century of coal-fired central heating in the greenhouses, a new modern gas-operated boiler-room was built in 1989. Thus, the centenary of the oldest university botanical garden in Croatia was marked in 1989 by numerous events and ceremonies. After a brief suspension of operations due to a shortage of funds, the Garden restoration-work was continued at the beginning of the 21st century thanks to 7

The Main Entrance, ca. 1910

generous financial support from the City of Zagreb and the University of Zagreb. The first phase included the reconstruction of the infrastructure (precipitation and wastewater sewage system, water supply and hydrant network, new boiler-room for the central heating system). Afterwards, the basins with a fountain, the wooden bridge, the cool greenhouse, the main entrance portal and the exhibition pavilion were restored as well. The restoration of the 19th century exhibition pavilion was the most demanding task. Since the Botanical Garden is statutorily protected as part of the architectural complex of a series of parks and squares in Zagreb’s lower town, known as the Lenuci Horseshow (Lenucijeva potkova), all the design documentation had to be prepared in consultation with the City Institute for the Conservation of Cultural and Natural Heritage. We are still facing major challenges since the exhibition greenhouse, the decorative fences, the administration building and the building of the Division of Botany all need restoration. Since its founding, the Botanical Garden has been part of the Division of Botany. Its primary role is to support university studies and scientific research in botany. Like many other university gardens around the world, the Garden focuses, 8

as it has done particularly over the past few decades, on research and conservation of the rare and endangered Croatian species. The Garden employs only a few botanists who strive to keep up with the modern trends associated with the maintenance of botanical gardens within relatively limited financial and spatial resources. In addition to their main job responsibilities, i.e. to maintain and enrich the plant collections, they also engage in scientific and applied research as well as the education of students and the general public. Special attention is devoted to indigenous Croatian species, to their cultivation, ex situ protection and seed germination rates. Professional research mainly involves cultivation and regeneration of the collection of living plants in the Garden. In cooperation with the Croatian national and nature parks, the Botanical Garden participates in the protection of indigenous plants and their habitats, as well as helping in the regeneration of montane botanical gardens. We have recently increased the space intended for the cultivation of plants used in the research carried out by the Division of Botany, as well as the requirements for the botany practicals by students at the Department of Biology (Faculty of Science) and other related faculties of the University of Zagreb. The fact that more than 200 student groups from the whole of Croatia take a professionally guided tour of the Garden in the course of a single year best describes the Garden’s prime educational role. For decades, the Garden has been providing professional assistance to biology teachers in schools, particularly with respect to designing school gardens and helping the students in their practical activities and The Parterre, ca. 1920

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preparation of their final papers. Since 2004, the educational activities carried out by the Botanical Garden have been enriched by the activation of the Garden’s website, installation of information boards, printing of leaflets and brochures, production of a CD entitled A Short Guide through the Botanical Garden and a series of postcards on the topic of Rare and Endangered Plant Species of the Republic of Croatia in the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science in Zagreb. With the renovation of the exhibition pavilion, a monument of pavilion architecture dating from the end of the 19th century, the Botanical Garden obtained a representative space where four exhibitions were staged during the first year of operation alone. The exhibition pavilion today serves the same purpose as it has done for more than a hundred years During the summer it provides space for holding exhibitions and educational activities, while, during the winter, it acts as a refuge for sensitive plants in need of protection from the cold. (B. J.)

Activities Education

Year after year, the Garden has been increasing the number of organised activities and events intended for visitors. The oldest activity is the professionally-organised

Professionally guided tour of the Garden 10

Storytelling: inside the tree

guided tour of the Garden, which today also includes a visit to current exhibitions. Organization of exhibitions started in 2007 after the renovation of the exhibition pavilion. The most frequently prepared exhibitions are educational, intended for school children, historical (exhibitions about famous natural scientists, the development of the Garden) and art exhibitions. Although thematically diverse, the exhibitions share a common topic, i.e. nature, particularly the flora. Each year, the pavilion organises numerous educational and creative workshops on the topic of botany for school children and the general public. Each year, in the middle of May, the Botanical Garden takes part in the national event called The Week of Croatian Botanical Gardens and Arboreta featuring numerous free events for the general public, such as thematic professionally guided tours of the Garden, creative workshops on the topic of botany, stage performances, storytelling, concerts, specialised and popular lectures, etc. Despite its modest beginnings in 2011, the event today attracts more than 10,000 active participants. The public interest in educational projects run by the Garden is probably best illustrated by these numbers: in only six months since its opening in 2011, more than 11,000 domestic and foreign visitors came to see the ‘Enchanted Forest’ exhibition (Čudesna šuma), which was organised on the occasion of the International Year of Forests. During the Week of Croatian Botanical Gardens and Arboreta organised in 2013, more than 2,000 visitors took part in the numerous related activities. 11

“Enchanted Forest” exhibition

Since most of the children growing up in urban areas do not have the opportunity to grow plants, the Children’s Flower and Vegetable Garden was built and opened to the public in 2013. The children from the nearby primary school and kindergarten use the designated, fenced area to grow vegetables and flowers in an organic manner, assisted by their teachers and the botanists working in the Garden. They sow seeds, replant and transplant the seedlings, prepare the soil and plant young plants, as well as take care of them throughout the season until the autumn harvest. They also pull out the weeds and eliminate the parasites (without using pesticides or herbicides). The children take pride in being able to provide food, which they have grown themselves, for the school kitchen (B. J., D. S., S.K.). 12

Children’s Flower and Vegetable Garden

Research Projects

The Botanical Garden takes special care of the endangered and rare Croatian plant species and the statutorily protected ones. Those species mentioned below have been collected from their natural habitats across Croatia, but we also cultivate more than 200 such species ex situ (outside their natural habitats). Most of these are grown in phytogeographic sections (mainly rockeries) where visitors have a chance to see them. As part of the ex situ protection program, we also grow and sell several rare and endemic species of the Croatian flora. The most popular ones are the Velebit Degenia (Degenia velebitica) and the Dubrovnik Cornflower (Centaurea ragusina). We are also conducting a research project on the germination ecology of strictly protected species of the Croatian flora, including those in the Natura 2000 network, such as the endemic Dalmatian Scilla (Chouardia litardierei) and the rare species of Serratula (Serratula lycopifolia). In the near future, we intend to establish a modern gene bank as well. In 2013, the Garden introduced new methods of arboriculture, the specialised scientific discipline for the cultivation and management of trees, with the emphasis on vitality control and estimation of the static stability of trees, as well as determination of the occurrence and progression of decay using modern resistographic methods. We regularly report on the results of our work at domestic and international conferences as well as in scientific and specialised journals. (D. S.)

Seed germination ecology research 13

It is worth noting that most of the plants cultivated in the Botanical Garden are grown from the seeds collected in one of the two following ways: the seeds of foreign species are acquired through exchange with other botanical gardens from around the world, based on the annual editions of Delectus (Index) Seminum; the seeds of indigenous Croatian species are taken from their natural habitats in accordance with annual permissions obtained from the competent ministry on the basis of regular reports on the plant material collected during the previous year. (S. K.)

Velebit Degenia (Degenia velebitica) seeds

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LEGEND:  Red Path – for passers-by  Blue Path – for strollers

 Green path – for real enthusiasts 01 01

important building plant/collection

A Guide to the Botanical Garden

The Main Entrance After renovation of the portal of the main entrance to the Botanical Garden in 2009, the original urban detail decorating the southern end of Gundulićeva Street was restored. It is characterised by a light-green entrance door with a wooden lintel and has proved attractive to numerous visitors. The artisticallystylised main entrance door built in 1900 forms part of the ornamental fence of the Botanical Garden and was constructed in several phases. The parterre was built at ground level, but after the construction of Mihanovićeva Street in the 1900s, the stairs leading into the Garden were added to the main entrance. Six large flower pots, containing mainly Spanish Dagger (Yucca gloriosa ‘Variegata’), still decorate the stairs. When you enter the Botanical Garden, you will notice the information board with the Garden map, and a small wooden kiosk where you can buy various souvenirs, guides, postcards and other printed material, or get information about the events in the Garden. (B. J.)        01

The Main Entrance 16

The Alpinum, ca. 1910

The Alpinum (Alpinarium) is the oldest rockery in the Botanical Garden, and was already marked in the original Garden design of 1889. In 1892, in his description of the Botanical Garden, Josip Ettinger wrote: “...large rocks have been brought to the Garden and artificial cliffs raised to provide natural conditions for the cultivation of alpine plants”. Prof. Dragutin Hirc (1919) used the following words to describe this rockery: “The Alpinum, a garden built in the style of the botanical garden of Innsbruck, was Heinz’s masterpiece, where he cultivated not only foreign, but also domestic alpine plants which naturally grow in our mountains.” The rockery is called the Alpinum, not because it bears any relation to the Alpine mountain belt, but because alpinum was and still is the common horticultural name for artificial structures for growing mountain plants. Nowadays, rockeries with mountain plants can be found in almost every larger botanical garden. The construction of alpinums in botanical gardens dates from the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, when the Garden’s Alpinum was built as well. Perennial plants and shrubs from all around the world, together with a few specimens of the Croatian flora, are grown in the Alpinum. The        02

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yellow blossoms of Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), which is native to northern China, can be seen as early as January and February. On the western side of the Garden, which provides lots of shade, a Caucasian perennial known as the Caucasian Pennycress (Thlaspi macrophyllum) thrives, and, in springtime, produces white blossoms. In the past, there was a small waterfall in the northern part of the Alpinum that flowed over a rocky cliff into a small lake, but, nowadays, there is only a moist basin with attractive Japanese Primroses (Primula japonica ‘Miller’s Crimson’). Japanese primroses are also self-sown along the sewage canal. The humid air helps the Creeping Saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera), which comes from China and Japan, to thrive. Kirengeshoma palmata is a tall, long-living perennial with yellow, hanging, bell-shaped flowers. It originates from Japan and has been grown in the Alpinum since 1969. In the vicinity, one can also see an endemic ground-cover species of Bulgarian Rockcress (Arabis ferdinandi-coburgii). Unfortunately, because of the constant exposure to the dry and traffic-polluted air in the centre of the city, many sensitive alpine species do not thrive in the Alpinum and survive only for a short time. After they die, we plant new ones, constantly searching for more adaptable ones that could survive and embellish our oldest rockery for a longer period of time. (B. J.)

Caucasian Pennycress (Thlaspi macrophyllum) 18

White Dittany (Dictamnus albus) blooms in the Alpinum in late spring and early summer. It has white or pink fragrant flowers grouped in spike-like inflorescences. This long-lived perennial, herbaceous plant is native to southwestern Europe, south and central Asia and Korea, and is the only species of its genus belonging to the rue family (Rutaceae). In the summer, the feathery leaves secrete an essential oil, which makes them sticky and gives them a pleasant lemon-like fragrance. Skin contact with this oil may cause an allergic reaction. Japanese Primrose (Primula japonica ‘Miller’s Crimson’) belongs to the Candelabra group of cultivars characterised by the flowers distributed in a few nodes along a tall stalk. They strongly prefer humid habitats, so we cultivate them in shaded locations. They also like to grow in shallow water. In early summer, the Japanese Primrose will attract your attention with its bright red flowers extending high above the leaf rosette. 19

Do you know what botanical gardens are and what their purpose is? What is the difference between botanical gardens, public parks and ornamental gardens? Why is every maintained area where plants are cultivated and nicely arranged not considered a botanical garden? In everyday life, we often hear or read that someone has a ‘beautiful botanical garden’ in their yard with many different plants. The owners of such gardens are often also familiar with the names of the cultivated plants. However, a botanical garden is much more than a diverse and abundant collection of living plants. The generally-recognised definition of botanical gardens is: Institutions holding documented collections of living plants for the purposes of scientific research, conservation, display and education. It is evident from the definition that the basis of every botanical garden is a well-documented collection of living plants. Every plant is labelled. The label contains the plant’s scientific name (derived from Latin or Greek) and indicates the site where the seeds or stem cuttings were collected. In order to properly maintain such a collection, every botanical garden requires the knowledge and dedication of educated biologists (forest/park keepers and agronomists). Nowadays, the botanists exert a lot of effort, in cooperation with other botanical gardens and research institutions from around the world, to protect and conserve the indigenous flora. Almost every botanical garden thus includes a library and a herbarium. Since botanical gardens play an important educational role, they are open to the general public and ensure education for visitors by providing information about plants. Of course, all this lies within the availability of technical, financial and human resources. (B. J.)

On plots 1 to 6 and 45, shrubs and trees belonging to the ancient class of gymnosperms (Gymnospermae, Pinophyta) are grown. The first representatives of this class appeared about 300 million years ago. Gymnosperms are all woody plants that have ‘naked’ seeds, i.e. their seeds are not enclosed within carpels, so that they produce no true fruits. With the exception of ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba,  29 ) and horsetails (Ephedra,  31 ), all the specimens grown on the abovementioned plots belong to the subclass of conifers (Pinidae), which make up 75% of the living gymnosperms. These are the tallest, the most massive and the oldest plants (even organisms) on Earth. The main characteristic of the conifers is that the majority produce cones. This explains the old Latin name for the group,        03

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Collection of gymnosperms

Coniferae, or ‘cone bearing’ plants. Conifers are mostly evergreen plants with needle-like or scale-like leaves. The large diversity of this group is also exhibited in our small arboretum. The Serbian Spruce (Picea omorika, P1a) has the narrowest crown of all conifers. Completely different from this columnar crown are the wide branches of the Leyland cypress (× Cuprocyparis leylandii, P1b), an unusual hybrid between the Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) and the Nootka (False) Cypress (Xanthocyparis nootkatensis) that possesses the most valuable traits of its parent species, such as fast growth and resistance to diseases. One can easily recognise species like the Colorado Spruce (Picea pungens, P1c) with its bluish needles, one of the most favorite ornamental trees in parks and gardens, or the common European or Norway Spruce (Picea abies, P1d), a common conifer in European forests whose dark colour is probably the reason why conifers are locally known as crnogorica (where crn means black, and gorica means mountain). Unlike the narrow needle-like leaves on short woody stems (pegs) and the hanging cones in spruces, firs have mostly flatter, needle-like leaves, attached directly to the twig with their plate-like bases, and upright standing cones that disintegrate as they ripen. The Greek Fir (Abies cephalonica, P1e) withstands well the unfavorable conditions of the urban centre, but we have so far never succeeded in growing the ecologically-sensitive European or Silver Fir (A. alba) in the Garden. 21

Greek Fir (Abies cephalonica) male flowers (cones)

Chinese White Pine (Pinus armandii) cone

Pines are easy to recognise by their long needle-like leaves that never appear as a single needle, but always in tufts of two, three or five. Scots Pines (Pinus sylvestris, P1f), characterised by their reddish bark and blue-greenish needles, are the most widely distributed pine species in the world and the most important species in northern Eurasian forests. The Black Pine (P. nigra, P1g) is characterised by its grey bark and firm, dark green needles. It is found in southern Europe, Northwestern Africa and Asia Minor. The Dwarf Did you know? The Mountain Pine (P. mugo subsp. mugo, A1h) cones of conifers are in forms the upper forest vegetation zone of fact female ‘inflorescences’ the Alps and the Dinarides, covering peaks carrying seeds! They can below the highest alpine grasslands and be real cones, composed bare rocks. Unfortunately, this pine species of a series of lignified, is not often planted, despite its attractive woody cone scales (e. g. fir and spruce), galbuli, wide-branched, almost prostrate, dwarf apcomposed of 3 to 6 fused pearance. Some conifers do not have neesucculent scales (e. g. judles, but scale-like leaves, for example many nipers) or false drupes, junipers (Juniperus, P1i), eastern Asian and where a single seed is parNorth American species of false cypresses tially (e.g. yew) or com(Chamaecyparis, P1j) and arborvitae (Thuja, pletely (e.g. plum yew) enP1k), whose wild forms and countless culticlosed in a juicy envelope, vars are grown around the world, either as often referred to as an aril. solitary trees or as hedges. (V. S.) 22

The socalled ‘Bald Cypress’ (Taxodium distichum) is one of the few deciduous conifers whose needles turn reddish orange in autumn and fall off. Originating from the swamps inhabited by alligators in the south of the United States, this ornamental species grows well in the gardens and parks around the globe. The older trees, growing in or near water, are recognised by their unusual root-appendices, known as pneumatophores or aerial roots. These appendices or Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) ‘knees’ are probably used as aerating structures but they also act as a sort of stabilizing system that enables otherwise heavy and tall trees to grow in the unstable swampy soil. Bald cypress is easily mistaken for Dawn Redwood ( 30 ), whose leaves (needles) are arranged more-or-less opposite each other, contrary to the slightly alternate needles of the bald cypress. (V. S.)        04

Very few of the present-day visitors to the Botanical Garden know that an artificial cave (Grotto) used to be at this location. It was built in 1892 and envisaged as an entrance to the freshwater aquarium (similar to the marine one) that was never built. The cave was removed in 1963 and, after the complete reconstruction of the small lakes in 1987/88, it was replaced by an artificial spring from which a pond flows into a small lake. Today, the Latin American Fleabane        04a

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The Cave (Grotto), ca. 1900

(Erigeron karvinskianus), grows here. It often behaves like an invasive plant by occupying the cracks in those walls that are made of small blocks of stone. The much-valued, small-leaved ornamental plant called Angel’s Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) and the Giant Cowslip (Primula florindae, P. japonica cult.) grow on the humid substrate alongside the small lake. There are a few cultivars of the pink and white American Spider Flower (Cleome spinosa) nearby. (S. K.) The Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis) is the sole living member of its genus which, besides the genera Araucaria and Agathis, belongs to araucarians, a small family of woody gymnosperms (Araucariaceae). Araucarians achieved their maximum diversity in mid-Mesozoic, about 150 million years ago, when they were found almost worldwide. According to molecular and paleobotanical discoveries, this ‘living fossil’ appeared on Earth more than 90 million years ago, at the end of the Mesozoic Era (or the Late Cretaceous Period). The discovery of the Wollemi Pine was one of the biggest botanical discoveries of modern times. In September 1994, David Noble, a ranger from the Wollemi National Park, located only about two hundred kilometres west of Sydney, accidentally came across a small grove of tall trees of this species in one of the shady canyons of the park. Less than 100 specimens of this plant were found in their natural habitats. An extensive research and conservation program was soon initiated, and the first experimentally cultivated specimens were sent to botanical gardens        05

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around the world in 2005. Our first specimen of the Wollemi Pine was planted in 2014, on the 20th anniversary of the discovery of the species and the 125th anniversary of the Botanical Garden. Wollemi Pines can grow up to a height of 40 metres. They are characterised by dark brown knobbly bark, two types of needle-like leaves arranged in two or four rows, and round female or elongated male cones. During the colder months, a pink-white resinous cap protects the buds, enabling the plant to resist low temperatures. (V. S.)

Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis)

The small lakes with a bridge have been parts of the Botanical Garden since its very beginnings. They were envisaged in the original design plans dating from 1889. The first bridge over the lakes was probably built in 1892, and, since that time, it has been redesigned at least five times. The presentday bridge, designed according to the photos from the 19th century, is most        06

Small lakes with a bridge 25

similar to the original one. Many visitors, stop at the bridge to take in the view, while many older citizens of Zagreb still remember with nostalgia their walks across the bridge and alongside the small lakes taken with their parents even before the Second World War. Today, the bridge is still the most favorite part of the Garden for our youngest ones where they enjoy watching the fish, frogs, turtles and ducks, often accompanied by their ducklings in springtime. At the beginning of the 20th century, White Storks could often be seen by the small lakes. Today, the lakes are sometimes visited by Mute Swans or Grey Herons. Water lilies and lotuses, the most beautiful green inhabitants of the small lakes, were ‘eternalised’ at the turn of the 20th century by master aquarellist Slava Raškaj (1877-1906). Various swamp plants grow alongside the lakes, while the flower beds contain ornamental perennials and annuals. Various species and cultivars of popular annual plants such as zinnias (Zinnia spp.), honeycombs (Tagetes spp.) and wax begonias (Begonia Semperflorens cult.) are all regular summer residents of the ornamental flower beds surrounding the small lakes, as are the various species and cultivars of perennials such as larkspurs (genus Delphinium) and ornamental columbines (genus Aquilegia), both belonging to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Together with the surrounding beds, paths and the bridge, the small lakes were extensively reconstructed during preparations for the first University Games in Zagreb in 1987. (S. K.)

Slava Raškaj: Water lilies in the Zagreb Botanical Garden, 1899, Zagreb, Croatian School Museum 26

Annual Spider Flowers (Cleome spinosa), which belong to the small family of the same name (Cleomaceae), originate from South America. These unusual, tall, ‘spider-like’ plants are becoming more and more common in private gardens. Many cultivars have been grown. Here you can see the whiteflowered (‘Helen Campbell’) and the pink-flowered (‘Rose Queen’) ones. Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis) is a particularly valued ground cover for rocky substrates. It is an evergreen plant with shiny green leaves that turn yellow in winter. It has been brought from the Far East. Various species and cultivars of larkspurs (Delphinium spp.) grow as annuals or perennials . The flowers come in all shades and gradients of blue, violet and pink, and a single cultivar can even occur and thrive in all these colours, including white. The whole genus is toxic to mammals. Garden Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens ‘Marine’) is a short shrubby perennial, producing beautiful dark blue flowers, which are remarkably fragrant. In some languages, the ‘Marine’ cultivar is called ‘fake vanilla’. The species originates from Peru. 27

Bamboos are in fact grasses (or bambusoid grasses), an observation that will not escape an attentive eye, because of the nodes on their stems and their long leaves. The particular anatomy of their flowers also reveals that bamboos belong to the grass family. Finding a flowering bamboo is, however, real luck. These plants are known for the physiological phenomenon of gregarious (mass) flowering at long, unpredictable, flowering intervals. The most important part Arrow Bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica) of the bamboo plant that is responsible for its fast growth is its rhizome, which is an underground horizontal stem whose main role is to store large quantities of nutrients. A few years after colonizing a new habitat, the rhizome already contains enough potential energy to provide for the growth of fully-developed stems called culms, which can reach their maximum height in a single season. Depending on the species, the bamboo culms vary in size, colour, shape, and even in odour. Botanists distinguish two types of bamboos: woody bamboos with rigid woody stalks and herbaceous ones. We distinguish two types of ornamental bamboo: one with a laterally running rhizome (also known as sympodial growth, where the rhizome propagates quickly in all directions); and the other with a clumping rhizome (known as monopodial growth, where the rhizome is compact, almost bulbous). ‘Running’ bamboos are invasive plants that can easily and quickly invade vast areas. Examples of such invaders are species of the genera Phyllostachys and Pseudosasa (P5). Their growth has to be kept under permanent control! Bamboos are considered one of the most ubiquitous and adaptable plant taxa, because dozens of bamboo genera, including more than 1,400 species, are found on all continents except Europe and Antarctica, from hot tropical regions to the cold slopes of the Himalayas. The bamboos have big cultural and economic importance, not only as construction material and sources of food in many Asian countries, but also as irreplaceable ornamental plants all around the world. (V. S.)        07

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Did you know? The bamboos are the fastest growing plants in the world. Some species native to the Far East, given favorable conditions, grow more than one metre a day. Woody culms of the tallest bamboo species Dendrocalamus giganteus, about thirty centimetres in diameter, can reach the height of 46 metres in just a few months.

Hickories (Carya, from the Greek word meaning ‘nut’) and wingnuts (Pterocarya spp.), although hardly known in Europe, together with the well-known walnuts (Juglans spp.), are the most important representatives of the walnut family (Juglandaceae). In North America, there are 13 species of the hickory tree, in China and Vietnam six, and there are six wingnut species native to southeastern and eastern Asia. Their relation with walnuts is evident from the male and female catkin inflorescences and pinnately compound leaves. The wingnuts, as in their name, Caucasian Wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia) have ten millimetres long, inedible, winged fruits (Greek words pteron + karuon meaning ‘winged nut’) that develop from long catkins. The Caucasian Wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia, P1l) is the most notable representative of the genus. It is a decorative, branching tree with a broad, fast-growing crown, and which resists diseases and low temperatures. The nuts are encircled by wide, round, undulated wings joined together in 30 to 50 centimetres long catkins. The Chinese or Narrow-winged Wingnut (P. stenoptera, P1m) is similar to the Caucasian one. It can easily be distinguished by narrow, pointed wings on its nuts and its shorter catkins. The hybrid between the Caucasian and the Chinese Wingnuts named Rehder’s Wingnut (P. × rehderiana, P1n), is more resistant and faster growing than its parent species. The hickory fruit is a nut, resembling the common walnut           07a

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(Juglans regia), with a fleshy pericarp that opens symmetrically into four valves. The nuts of many species of hickories are edible and used as ingredients in the production of many sweets in the United States. The largest nuts are those of the Shellbark Hickory, also known as the Kingnut (Carya laciniosa, P1o), easily recognizable by its flaky cracked, ‘shredded’ bark. The most widely cultivated hickory is the Pecan (C. illinoinensis, P1p), whose thin-shelled fruits contain a tasty, sweet seed (kernel). Pecan is the fastest growing of all hickories. To grow well and produce regular crop, it requires warm climate and Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis) fertile soil. The Bitternut Hickory (C. cordiformis, P1r) is the most widespread species on the North American continent. It is known for its fast growth, golden-yellow leaf colour in the autumn and its inedible, bitter fruit. The hickories are also valued for their wood, which exhibits unique combinations of stiffness, hardness and strength, and it is consequently used for manufacturing numerous utensils, especially handles. Much like the walnuts, the hickories do not respond well to transplanting. The reason for this sensitivity can be found in the morphology of their taproot which is very sensitive to injuries. That is why sowing the fruits directly onto the selected spot is the best practice. (V. S.) The Yew (Taxus baccata) was worshipped by the pre-Christian peoples of northern Europe more than 3000 years ago. Later, for Christianity, it became symbolic of the afterlife, which is why it was traditionally planted in cemeteries and churchyards. The yew is also the longest living European tree. There are a few specimens in Great Britain believed to be 3000 years old! All parts of the yew tree,

       08

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The Yew (Taxus baccata) seed with red aril

except the red berry-like aril around the seed, contain potentially lethal poisons. Due to its slow growth, the yew timber is heavy, hard and tough. In the Middle Ages, the famous English longbow was made of yew wood. These bows gave the arrows such a force that they could pierce the thickest armors, which helped the English win many battles. Unfortunately, the high demand for yew timber was such that by the late 16th century mature yew trees were almost extinct in northern Europe, so that nowadays the yew is a rare forest species, strictly statutorily protected in Croatia and many other European countries. (V. S.) Few visitors can be found who are not attracted by the beauty of the late 19 century architectural design of the Exhibition Pavilion. Since its renovation in 2007, it regularly hosts exhibitions, workshops and lectures. Many visitors of all ages pay it a visit during the season in order to take photographs in front of the pavilion. They often ask when this wooden beauty became part of the Botanical Garden, and are frequently surprised when they find out that it has been there since 1891! On the occasion of the second Economy and Forestry Jubilee Exhibition in Zagreb (1891), the Royal Land Government exhibited products from state penitentiaries in this pavilion. When the exhibition closed, the pavilion was donated to the Botanical Garden. Since, at that time, there were no structures in which sensitive plants could be kept during the winter, the pavilion        09 th

Exhibition Pavilion, 1892 31

was temporarily used for that purpose during the construction of the parterre and other beds. The photo dating from that time shows that the building was relocated in its entirety, with all its domes and other details. However, the photographs taken after the Second World War show progressive decay of the wooden structure and changes in its shape. The northern part of the pavilion was renovated and converted into a residential building, but since 1988 this derelict building has been used as winter shelter for some of the specimens of the plant collection. By the end of the 20th century, this 100-year-old pavilion was in such a bad shape that it needed complete reconstruction. The detailed conservation documents were prepared by the conservation architect Mladen Perušić from the City Institute for the Conservation of Cultural and Natural Heritage. The pavilion was restored in 2007 through concerted efforts of the Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb and the City of Zagreb. The original part of the pavilion, preserved to this date, is its wooden roof-supporting skeleton, while all the other parts - the domes and the hull, all made of larch wood, were rebuilt according to the photos, and thus, the exhibition pavilion serves the same purpose today as it did at the end of the 19th century. Many species, mainly Australian and Mediterranean woody plants, are overwintered in the pavilion. During the summer, the pavilion is used for exhibitions and educational activities. Before renovation of the pavilion, the Garden lacked the space for such activities. (B. J.)

The Week of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta of Croatia is the busiest week of the year in the exhibition pavilion and in the entire Botanical Garden. It is organised around May 18, the International Plant Conservation Day. A few dozen botanical gardens, arboreta and other smaller botanical collections from all around Croatia take part in this increasingly popular event, coordinated nationally by our Garden since 2011. During the week, thousands of visitors throng the Garden, take part in various workshops and thematic tours exploring the collections, attend the lectures, listen to concerts and visit the exhibitions. Children are our most numerous and most loyal visitors, including groups of pre-school children watching puppet shows, whole classes of students attending botanical workshops and grandchildren wandering around accompanied by their grandparents. During the Week, the Garden is open to the public all day and all the events are free of charge for pre-arranged visitors. You are also welcome! (D. S., S. K.) 32

The Mediterranean phytogeographic section is the most recently built rockery for those plants indigenous to the Croatian coastal area that prefer open and sunny habitats (heliophillous plants or heliophytes). Numerous donators contributed to its construction, which started in 2009 on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the Botanical Garden. Besides financial assistance, they also donated various types of soil, gravel and rocks. According to the original design, the rockery is shaped as a miniature Croatian coast, including Istria and Mount Učka, the slopes of Mount Velebit, the Dalmatian coast, and the Konavle region with coastal mountains. Since the rockery is relatively small (colloquially called the Little Mediterranean, M2), priority was given to rare and endemic Croatian species mainly belonging to karstic grasslands and pastures, limestone crevices and sandy habitats. The first young plants were collected from their natural habitats in 2007, and the rest were transplanted from the old, shaded Mediterranean rockery (M1;  31 ). About 150 species of plants, naturally growing in sunny habitats of the Adriatic coast and coastal mountains, are cultivated in this rockery today. The most interesting plants you can see here are certainly the endemic, endangered and statutorily strictly protected ones, including Visiani’s        10

Mediterranean Rock Garden 33

Savory (Satureja visianii), Adriatic Iris (Iris pseudopallida), endemic cornflowers (Centaurea ragusina, C. Did you know? There are friderici subsp. jabukensis, C. crithmiseveral regions of the world with Mediterranean clifolia, C. spinosociliata) and bellflowers mate, otherwise typical of the (Campanula istriaca, C. portenschlagiMediterranean basin, includana, C. pyramidalis, C. austroadriatica). ing the Adriatic Sea, for examOn the slopes at the rear of the rockery, ple most of California, centhe endemic species native to Croatian tral Chile, the Cape region of coastal mountains, manage to grow South Africa, some parts of the well, e.g. Velebit Degenia (Degenia western and southern Australia velebitica) and Dalmatian Cranesbill and, surprisingly, even some (Geranium dalmaticum). Here you fragmented patches of central can also see some common, useful Asia! species like Common Sage (Salvia officinalis), Dalmatian Chrysanthemum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium), ‘curry plant’ (Helichrysum italicum), Winter Savory (Satureja montana, S. subspicata) and germanders (Teucrium montanum, T. polium, T. flavum, T. chamaedrys). A special place has been reserved for the small saltwater swamp that can hardly withstand the winter in this part of Croatia, so that only a limited number of perennial species is grown in it, including Sea Arrowgrass (Triglochin maritimum), Sea Clubrush (Scirpus maritimus), Divided Sedge (Carex divisa) and Glasswort (Salicornia europaea). (S. K.) Dubrovnik Cornflower (Centaurea ragusina) is one of the Croatian endemic species known worldwide. It has sulphur-yellow flowers and whitish, tomentose leaves. It was first described in 1753 by the famous taxonomist Carl Linnaeus (Species Plantarum, p. 912), who investigated the specimens collected from their typical habitat in the surroundings of the Croatian coastal city of Cavtat and brought to the Netherlands by sailors. 34

Mediterranean Spurge (Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii) is a tall, massive perennial, endemic to the Illyrian and Adriatic region. It has yellow-greenish flowers and thick stems full of milky sap. In nature, it can occur in very abundant populations, but it is also known as a horticultural plant. The ‘Curry Plant’ (Helichrysum italicum) is a well-known decorative and medicinal plant growing in the Croatian karstic coastal belt. It is harvested, often excessively, for the pharmaceutical industry since it contains bitter substances with antiinflammatory action. It is used in skin regeneration and rejuvenation formulas. Dalmatian Bellflower (Campanula portenschlagiana) is one of the most famous Croatian endemic bellflowers. In the wild, it can only be found in Dalmatia, in the region from Mount Biokovo and the nearest islands down to the Pelješac peninsula. It is known worldwide as a horticultural plant with a number of valued cultivars. 35

The systematic field was planned and planted in 1954 and 1955. It is mainly intended for students of systematic botany. It consists of three major parts: the monocot section (Monocotyledones), the dicot section (Dicotyledones) and 58 small basins in between with aquatic and swamp plants. The flowerbeds are arranged according to systematic categories, i.e. families, genera and species. The students can learn what the plants look like in different seasons and in different stages of their life cycles, including seeds, blossoms and fruits. Many spring flowers like the Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis), many daffodils (Narcissus spp.), utilitarian plants (e.g. Common Hop, Humulus lupulus) and a collection of bulbous species are grown here. Among the dicots, the most abundant ones are the members of the buttercup (Ranunculaceae), rose (Rosaceae), carrot (Apiaceae), mustard (Brassicaceae), pink (Caryophyllaceae), potato (Solanaceae), mint (Lamiaceae) and daisy (Asteraceae) families. The lily (Liliaceae), amaryllis (Amaryllidaceae), iris (Iridaceae), sedge (Cyperaceae) and grass (Poaceae) families represent the monocots. Over the years, the systematic field has been reduced in size, mainly because of the lack of space within the Garden, so that plant groups intented for research, like sages (Salvia spp.), irises (Iris spp.) and grassy bells (Edraianthus spp.,  13a ) are        11

Systematic Field 36

currently predominate. However, there remains a part dedicated to medicinal and spice plants ( 13 ), a swamp vegetation plot ( 12 ) as well as the new Mediterranean rockery ( 10 ). (D. M.) Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) is a powerful allergen. During its blooming season in April and May, it is one of the more serious causes of hay fever. Despite its pleasant odour resembling vanilla, the cattle do not like it in the hay. Like some other grasses, the sweet vernal grass can secrete certain chemical compounds that inhibit the growth of other plant species and, in doing so, it expands its habitat. European Pepperwort (Marsilea quadrifolia) is a marsh fern with thin stems and leaves resembling a four-leaf clover growing above the water surface. It belongs to the autochthonous Croatian flora, and it can still be frequently found, unlike in other parts of Europe. Nevertheless, it is an endangered and statutorily strictly protected species. Yellow Asphodel (Asphodeline lutea) is a perennial plant found in the region from the Mediterranean all the way to the Caucasus. Horticulture adopted this species in 1648 when it was introduced into the Botanical Garden of Oxford University. Ancient Greeks ate this species (also known as King’s Spear Root) after roasting, sometimes mixed with figs. The flowers are also edible and have a mild, sweet taste. 37

White Asphodel (Asphodelus albus) has a thick, tuberous root. It can grow up to 120 centimetres in height. In its natural habitats, as a member of montane grasslands vegetation, it can be found in southern Europe. In ancient Greece this plant was associated with mourning and death. The fields of white asphodel were considered places of transition to Elysium, the blessed place after death. Common Corncockle (Agrostemma githago) is a beautiful plant from the pink family (Caryophyllaceae). Due to the use of herbicides on cereal fields, it became scarce even in Croatia and almost eradicated in many European countries. One of the reasons for destroying the Common Corncockle are its very poisonous seeds. When mixed with cereals, they can cause poisoning. Dyer’s Woad (Isatis tinctoria) from the crucifer or cabbage family (Brassicaceae) has been used to produce an indigo-blue dye since ancient times. The dye was produced from the leaves. The ancient Egyptians used to wrap the mummies in a woad-dyed fabric. Over time, this natural dye has been replaced by genuine indigo and synthetic dyes. 38

Did you know? The grass family (Poaceae), which includes more than 10,000 species, is one of the most numerous and widespread plant families on Earth. Grasses make up the predominant vegetation type in the immense unforested areas of all continents except the Antarctic, occurring as savannas, steppes, prairies and plains. Grasses are of the utmost importance to mankind as well, since all the cereals belong to this family. There are about 900 species of grasses in Europe, 380 of which belong in the Croatian flora. That makes them one of our most numerous plant families.

Marsh plants that grow in the Croatian swamps and marshes are grown in several locations in the Botanical Garden: in two small artificial lakes ( 06 ), in the basins within the systematic field ( 11 ) and in this small swamp. Due to drying and pollution of humid habitats, particularly swamps, which were considered undesirable until the 1960s, many wetland plants and animals around the world became endangered. That is why the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. Its fundamental goal is to preserve wetland areas and prevent the extinction of species that live in these habitats. The convention obliges the signatories, including Croatia, to protect the biodiversity of the wetlands, which are not only particularly important as habitats for wetland birds, but also as habitats many other organisms. That is why Croatian wetlands are statutorily protected and the sites such as Kopački rit, Lonjsko polje, Delta Neretve and Crna Mlaka have been given a special status. In order to increase our collection of wetland species in the Botanical Garden, the small swamp was built in 2011. Here, a number of plant species that do not grow together in the natural environment were planted together, for example, Water Clover (Marsilea quadrifolia), Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata), Lanceleaf Water Plantain (Alisma lanceolatum), Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus), Bog Arum (Calla palustris), and other species. (B. J.)        12

Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) is the only species of its genus, and one of the endangered and statutorily strictly protected wetland plants of the Croatian flora. It is an herbaceous perennial growing in shallow 39

still waters of Europe, Asia and North America. It propagates by rhizomes. It has trifoliate leaves that rise above the water and fringed white flowers grouped in upright inflorescences. Water Soldier (Stratiotes aloides) is a floating perennial living in still or slow waters across central Europe, the Caucasus and western Siberia. The leaves have sharp, dentate edges and form a rosette that floats on the surface of the water in summer, then sinks to to spend the winter on the bottom. The water soldier is one of the statutorily strictly protected species of the Croatian flora, endangered because of habitat reduction and water pollution. Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) is the only species of its genus and its family (Butomaceae). It originates from Europe and Asia. It has linear leaves that can grow up to 1 m long. In springtime, its beautiful umbiliform inflorescences of pink flowers grow well above the water surface. Common Water-plantain (Alisma plantagoaquatica) lives in shallow still waters or on the shores of deeper lakes, ponds, channels and fish ponds. Its sparse, cymose inflorescences carry white or pale pink flowers that open in the morning and stay open for just a few hours until the evening. Water plantain is often grown as an ornamental plant. The collection of medicinal and spice herbs has gradually been regenerated and extended since 2007. However, it has been in this location since the Garden was first established. The cultivation of medicinal plants dates back to ancient history. Several thousand years ago, the Chinese, the Egyptians, the Aztecs and other ancient civilizations were already familiar with the medicinal

       13

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Sage Collection

properties of certain plants and cultivated them purposefully, usually near their temples. Likewise, the first European botanical gardens were founded in the 16th century for the purpose of growing medicinal plants needed for medical studies. The most numerous specimens in our modest collection are the various species of sage (Salvia spp.). However, since many of the species come from the warmer climates, some sages (Salvia mexicana, S. canariensis, S. algeriensis) do not thrive here because the high soil humidity in winter does not suit them. The collection, which may change with the seasons, includes various well-known spice plants. Sometimes we grow Common Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) or Caraway (Carum carvi), together with some less known species, like Chilli Pepper (Capsicum frutescens ‘Peruvian Purple’). Many visitors are surprised when they see Maize (Zea mays), Celery (Apium gaveolens), Oats (Avena sativa), Common Daisies (Bellis perennis), Peppers (Capsicum annuum) or Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus), and numerous other ‘common’ plants whose beneficial properties we tend to forget, among the medicinal plants. Every year, we plant a few exotic medicinal plants, like the Siberian perennial Patrinia sibirica or the Asian Assafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida). 41

Many other medicinal plants are included in our other collections, so you can see them all around the Garden. Species such as Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba,  29 ), Indian Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera,  34 ), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) and Oregano (Origanum vulgare) grow in the arboretum, the ponds, the greenhouses and the rockeries. It is worth noting that there is another botanical garden in Zagreb, which is specialised in growing and researching properties of medicinal plants, the Fran Kušan Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants. It operates within the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Zagreb. (B. J.) Asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida) can grow taller than 2 m and looks like a big fennel. In the Middle Ages, this plant was appreciated as a ‘preventive drug against the plague’. Even nowadays, people in India use the red resin extracted from the asafoetida roots, which is dried and transformed into nuggets or powder and sold as cure for various diseases.

The very poisonous Angel’s Trumpet (Brug­ mansia suaveolens), comes from the Brazilian rainforests. We grow cultivars with white, pink and yellow flowers in oak tuns. All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans. The grassy-bells (Edraianthus spp.), which belong to the widespread bellflower family, Campanulaceae, include species that grow mainly on the Balkan Peninsula. Various authors still disagree about the exact number of species: some are inclined to break down the related aggregate groups into a number of ‘small species’. Among the Croatian taxa included in the Edraianthus pumilio aggregate, two steno-endemics stand out: the Biokovo Grassy-bell (E. pumilio) and the Dinara Grassy-bell (E. dinaricus). The E. graminifolius aggregate in Croatia includes the        13a

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steno-endemic Dalmatian Grassy-bell (E. dalmaticus) that can be found in moist meadows, as well as the Narrow-leaved Grassy-bell (E. tenuifolius) and the Broadleaved Grassy-bell (E. graminifolius) that can be found in a wider range of habitats. The Creeping Grassy-bell (E. serpyllifolius) from Mount Biokovo is also considered a separate species. The Dalmatian Grassy-bell presents an ecological curiosity. During the non-growing season before new growth begins, its habitat in meadows is flooded. Almost all other species of grassy-bells typically grow in rocky and very dry habitats. In this small flowerbed, you can see the Narrow-leaved Grassy-bell (Edraianthus tenuifolius), while the other, short-lived species need to be regularly replaced. (D. M.)

Did you know? The Caucasian grassy bell (Edraianthus owerinianus) from Daghestan in the North Caucasus is one of the rare species of the genus growing outside the Balkan Peninsula. Nowdays, this species is not ­considered to be closely related to Edraianthus and its valid name is Muehl­ bergella oweriniana.

Narrow-leaved Grassy-bell (Edraianthus tenuifolius) is an Illyrian and Balkan endemic species growing in the coastal part of the Dinarides, where it inhabits sunny, karstic meadows. This tufted perennial with globose inflorescences blooms in May and June. The oldest tree in the Garden is the Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur) standing in front of you. It is 28 m tall with a trunk girth of 430 centimetres The estimated age of this probably wild tree is about 200 years. Its wide, open and branched crown tells us that it grew as a solitary tree without sun deprivation for the first few decades, perhaps as part of a grove, but later in the open space of one of the meadows leading towards the town from the south. Pedunculate oaks thrive in lowlands and fertile soils with a high level of moisture. It can be most        14

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Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur)

easily distinguished from its sibling species, the Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea, P8b, K), by its short petiole (up to 5 mm), compared to that of Sessile Oaks, which have a petiole length of a few centimetres. These oaks differ also in the length of the peduncle carrying the acorns, which is about 8 centimetres long in Pedunculate Oaks, but almost non-existent in Sessile Oaks. The Croatian name for the Sessile Oak (kitnjak) is a verbal description of these clustered acorns. (V. S.) The flower spectrum in the colours of the rainbow was created in the flower beds by the conversion of former nurseries. At the end of the 1960s, when the idea of a new botanical garden in Zagreb on the slopes of Medvednica was being seriously discussed, a nursery was built in this location to ensure enough space for cultivation of the base stock of various ornamental plants, which would later be transplanted into that long-awaited, new garden. The decades passed, the new botanical garden was never built and the spacious nursery with more than 500 ornamental herbaceous plant species remained inaccessible to the general public. For this reason, the larger part of the nursery was converted in 2008 and opened to the visitors. In order to make the plot more interesting, the flower beds were arranged in the shape of a ‘floral rainbow’. These include perennials planted according to the colour of their flowers (rarely fruits or leaves), around which an edge of annual plants is planted every year. In this way, the flowerbeds imitate the spectrum composed of six pure colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. At one end of this flower spectrum there is a multi-coloured bed where a collection of irises (15a) dominate in May, while on the other end, there

       15

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The Flower Spectrum

is a bed of white-flowered plants. The information boards next to the flower beds provide information about the meaning of the colours, how the colours are perceived by the pollinators as well as numerous other curiosities. For example, did you know that, in this part of the world, very few indigenous plants have red flowers? That is because the most common pollinators, the insects, cannot perceive the colour red! Did you know that the old Croatian word for the colour orange actually meant red-yellow (crvenožuta), as it is still called in many languages where the orange fruit is not known? Yellow flowers coevolved with the insects, both in shape and colour, especially with the bees, which are the most frequent pollinators of yellow-flowered plants. It may come as a surprise but green flowers are quite common in nature. These are often inflorescences composed of small,

Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra spectabilis) 45

inconspicuous flowers without petals, pollinated by the wind (grasses, sedges, flatsedges, etc.). In addition to the red and the yellow, blue is the third basic colour. Insects and birds see it well in all its shades (sky-blue, azure, cyan, ultramarine, indigo, etc.), so blue flowers always attract lots of pollinators. The wavelengths of violet are at the very end of the human-visible spectrum, so we hardly distinguish them. We see well only the lighter shades like lavender. Of course, the insects and many mammals differ from humans in the way they see or do not see colours. (S. K.)

Did you know? We all know about daltonism, the inability to distinguish between red and green, but are you aware that there are many other types of colour blindness such as the inability to distinguish blue from yellow? The rarest type is complete colour blindness (monochromasia), when the affected person cannot distinguish colours at all, so his or her life looks like a black and white movie. In some cases, colourblind people have an advantage over the normal-sighted people. It seems that they do better in recognizing military camouflage!

       15a If you happen to visit the Botanical Garden in May, you will be enchanted by this ‘colourful flowerbed’ boasting a collection of irises (Iris: Iridaceae), dominated by the so-called ‘tall bearded’ irises (Iris, cultivar group Barbata Elatior). The irises of this taxonomic group have large flowers, conspicuously coloured perianths grouped in inflorescences on long stalks. The richness of colour of the perianths of the ‘bearded irises’ is really inexhaustible. The perianths may be snow-white (Iris ‘Canadian Northland’, I. ‘Fuji’s Mantle’), single-coloured (yellow I. ‘Fox Fire’, blue I. ‘Royal Regency’, brownish-red I. ‘Fort Apache’), bi-coloured (I. ‘High Command’, I. ‘Pink Plum’, I. ‘Acrobat’), multicoloured (I. ‘Collage’, I. ‘Sweet Musette’, I. ‘Queen in Calico’) and even almost black (dark violet I. ‘Before the Storm’ or I. ‘Swazi Princess’). The collection grew over the decades, thanks to exchange with other European botanical gardens (e.g. Průhonice, Czech Republic) and gifts from visitors and colleagues (e.g. from the nursery in Hamilton, Canada). Since the size and colour of the ornamental iris flowers is usually not transmitted to the next generation through the generative cycle (by seeds), but only vegetatively (by dividing and transplanting adult plants), most of the ornamental irises in this collection came to the Botanical Garden as

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Cultivars of the Iris Barbata Elatior group

a fraction of the plant’s rhizome. During the past 50 years, the Garden hosted almost 200 different cultivars of ‘bearded irises’, but many of them became senescent or disappeared due to other causes. Today we have about 80 cultivars of ornamental irises belonging to the Barbata Elatior group and about as many species, cultivars and hybrids of the large genus Iris. This flower bed also hosts a number of ‘pure species’ of irises, i.e. wild cultivars of which some were taken from their natural habitats, and some grown from the seeds. (S. K.)

Did you know? Not all irises are cultivated because of their beautiful flowers. For instance, the stinking iris (Iris foetidissima) is popular because of its conspicuous, bright red seeds that remain inside the open capsules from the autumn to the following spring. A cultivar of the Siberian iris (Iris sibirica ‘Phosphor’) is grown because of the bright yellow colouration of its autumn leaves. Unfortunately, irises are often prone to diseases, so they have to be regularly divided and replanted (preferably in late August).

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To watch a hosta garden (hostarium) grow from the seeds to fully developed adult plants means to live an entire life! As relative newcomers to horticulture in the West, the hostas or funkias (Hosta: Asparagaceae or Liliaceae family) started being widely cultivated in the 1920s. They were introduced to the scientific community by the famous Swedish botanist and student of Linnaeus, Carl Peter Thunberg (1743 – 1828). He spent his working years in the Far East and earned the title of the ‘father of the Japanese flora’. The wild hosta species (about 40) are slow-growing, long-lived plants, originating mainly from eastern Hosta ‘Patriot’ Japan. They dislike frequent disturbance such as transplanting, replanting or any significant changes in their environment (e.g. removal of the tree that had provided shade for decades). For this reason, a number of fast-growing cultivars, adapted to almost any type of soil, have been bred to satisfy those who look for immediate results. Some of these cultivars have marbled, shiny or bi-coloured leaves, and flowers ranging from rose to violet. You will understand just how popular the hostas are in botanical gardens if we tell you that more than 3,000 hybrids and cultivars have been registered. In this flower bed, we grow about 15 of them. The dwarf or mini-hostas with their curled leaves and big flowers (Hosta ‘Univittata Undulata’) and the giant hostas with waxy leaves (H. ‘Fortunei Gigantea’) are particularly beautiful. (S. K.)        16

Did you know? Normally, the flowers of the hosta plants have no odour. Only one species (Hosta plantaginea) and a few cultivars are known to have really fragrant flowers. In natural habitats, the colour of the leaves is mostly green, while some species (e.g. H. sieboldiana) have bluish-green leaves with a waxy cover giving them a bluish glow.

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The beeches (Fagus spp.) are, together with the oaks and the sweet chestnuts (Quercus spp. and Castanea spp.), the most important genera of the beech family (Fagaceae) of the northern hemisphere. Their kinship is most evident if one looks at the anatomy of their reduced flowers and even more if one looks at the shape and the anatomy of their fruits. In all three genera, the fruit is partially or completely enclosed in a protective envelope known as the cupule. In oaks, we recognise it as the squamous acorn cap. In sweet chestnuts, European Beech fruits the shells of the cupule are covered with dense sharp spines, while in beeches the four shells are covered with short and soft spines. In contrast to the oaks, there are only about a dozen types of beeches, one North American, three European and those originating from China, Japan and Korea. In a mature forest, the beech is the dominant tree. Its dense crown blocks the light and its strong roots prevent the growth of competing plants, so that the ground remains almost naked. In small gardens, the Common or European Beech (Fagus sylvatica, P7a) is often present, at least as a hedge. As a solitary tree, it can be found in every larger garden. In avenues, it can reach up to a height of about 40 metres. It is distinguished by its silver-grey bark and its light green leaves with wavy edges. Solitary beech trees often have long branches that bend down to the ground to protect their sensitive bark from the sun. In contrast to the American Beech (F. grandifolia, P7b), which differs from the European Beech by the shape of its leaves, its brighter bark and its        17

The ‘Purpurea Tricolor’ cultivar of the European Beech 49

reluctance to grow on European soils, the European Beech is a source of the most interesting cultivars. Distinct colouration of the leaves is characteristic of the following cultivars: F. sylvatica ‘Zlatia’, with golden yellow to yellow-green leaves, ‘Tricolor’, that grows light green leaves with pink edges in springtime (P53), and ‘Atropunicea’, with dark purple leaves (P7c, P53). The leaves can be round (e.g. cultivar ‘Rotundifolia’), extremely reduced and narrow (e.g. ‘Mercedes’) or feathery (‘Asplenifolia’, P7d). Certain beech cultivars are planted because of their interesting crown shapes. For instance, a poplar-like, tall, narrow crown is characteristic of the ‘Dawyck’ beech, a bizarre distorted and entangled trunk is characteristic of the ‘Tortuosa’ beech, while the common cultivar called ‘Pendula’ (P7e) has weeping, pendulous branches. The European Beech can grow on various soils provided they are well-drained and not saturated with water. However, sufficient atmospheric humidity and considerable rainfall all year round are required to ensure good growth and health of the European Beech. (V. S.) The soapberry order (Sapindales) includes nine families. Its Asian and other mainly tropical members are recognised by (mostly) pinnate leaves and the secretion of specific secondary metabolites, like resins and essential oils. Among the soapberries, we find crop plants like mango, pistachio, incense and mahogany. Some species grow in Asian regions with moderate climate, so that they can be cultivated in continental Europe as well. The tall tree that dominates in the plot 37 is the Chinese Toon, from the mahogany family (Meliaceae), and also known as the Chinese Cedar (Toona sinensis, P37a). As the most resistant species of its genus, it is widespread in eastern and southeastern Asia where its young leaves are used for food. The Chinese Toon is also important because of its hard and decorative, reddish wood that resembles the true

       18

Chinese Toon (Toona sinensis) 50

(American) mahogany. Very similar leaves can be seen on the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima, P37b, P38a) belonging to the Simaroubaceae family, brought from China to Europe and North America as an ornamental tree in the mid19th century. Although it soon proved prone to aggressive propagation by root suckers and seeds, and despite its unpleasant odour, it was still cultivated widely. Today it is known worldwide as an invasive plant Trifoliate Orange (Poncirus trifoliata) that can quickly establish in vacant habitats. The few old, smaller trees with grey, grooved bark belong to the genus of cork-trees (Phellodendron spp.) from the rue family (Rutaceae). The name of the genus (greek phellos + dendron meaning cork + tree) pertains to the corked bark similar to that of the true cork tree which is a Mediterranean oak species. The Amur Cork-tree (Phellodendron amurense, P37c) is an ornamental, planted because of its yellow inflorescences in springtime, a dense crown that provides shade, golden-yellow foliage in the autumn and its appealing cork-like bark. In traditional Chinese medicine, this species is one of the 50 elementary plants used for curing pulmonary and intestinal diseases. The Chinese Felodendron or Cork Tree (P. chinense, P37d), a similar species with less corrugated bark, is also important in traditional Chinese medicine. The interesting spiny trees in the adjacent plot 38 also belong to the rue family. These are the Chinese Prickly Ashes (Zanthoxylum simulans, P38b), identifiable by the large spiny knobs on their trunks and branches. The pericarp, used in Chinese gastronomy, is known as Sichuan pepper. The fruits of the Japanese Prickly Ash (Z. piperitum, P38c), known as the Japanese Pepper, are used in Japan in a similar manner. Dark green, thorny branches of the Trifoliate Orange (Poncirus trifoliata, P38d) are perfect for creating an impenetrable hedge. Lovely, white, fragrant flowers in spring and small, fragrant fruits in the autumn, indicate their relationship with lemons and oranges (Citrus spp.). (V. S.) 51

It has already been noted that oaks (Quercus spp.) belong to the beech family (Fagaceae), and the reduction of the cupule to form the acorn’s cap has already been explained ( 17 ). The acorn is the ultimate distinctive characteristic of the oak within a vast diversity of about six hundred American, European and Asian species. They vary from shrubs to tall trees, decidu- Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) acorn ous or evergreen, with various shapes of leaves and bark textures. Unlike their acorns, the flowers of the oaks are small, inconspicuous, and with no colouration or smell, all of which indicates that they are pollinated by the wind. When speaking about the oaks of the Old World, it is usually the Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur, P8a,  14 ) and its cousin, the Sessile Oak (Q. petraea, P8b, K), that come to mind. Both are impressive trees of the ancient European forests, they were once worshiped as deities, and today they remain symbols of strength, robustness and perseverance. As solitary trees they boast wide crowns but in forests they have slim, tall and straight trunks because they must compete for light. Pedunculate and Sessile Oaks differ morphologically and ecologically (see chapter  14 ). If they grow in the same area, they can be crossbred, producing a hybrid (Q. × rosacea, P8c), which exhibits a mixture of traits of its parents. There are some evergreen European oak species: the Evergreen Oak or Holm Oak (Q. ilex, P49), which can grow up to 20 m in height, but in Croatia Holm Oaks are known as small trees or thicket shrubs. Although it is a Mediterranean species, it can withstand cold winters, so it is also cultivated in continental parts of Europe and the United States. The Cork Oak (Q. suber) is somewhat smaller and less resistant. It has no horticultural value but it is economically significant due to its bark being used to Spotted or Shumard’s Oak (Quercus shumardii)        19

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produce cork. The largest cork oak plantations are found in Portugal and Spain. The Lebanon Oak (Q. libani, P8d) has ovate, serrate leaves. It is a small tree known for its resistance to drought, which is why it is planted in hot countries of the western Mediterranean and western Asia, where it also originates from. In number of oak species, America is much richer than Europe. It is home to as many as 250 species, 150 of which are Mexican (mostly endemic). In addition to their economic value, many species are valued as ornamental trees because of the beautiful autumn colours of their leaves, some of which are atypical, being convex with smooth edges. One of those is the Willow Oak (Q. phellos, P8e), which has lanceolate leaves like a true willow (Salix spp.). Most of the east Asian oaks (and there is a large number of them) grow in China. One Japanese species, however, the Daimyo Oak (Q. dentata), holds the record for the size of the leaves, which can grow up to 30 centimetres wide and 40 centimetres long! (V. S.) There are numerous occasions in the past, as well as the present, when people would innocently buy an exotic plant for their garden, but which are now known to be invasive. Such species spread uncontrollably in their new adopted habitats, often putting indigenous vegetation in peril. According to the 2008 check-list, there are 64 species of invasive exogenous species in Croatia. In the Botanical Garden, we grow 28 potentially invasive species under a strict propagation control program and exclusively for education and research purposes. In the systematic field ( 11 ) you can see the Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium), the Tobacco Tree (Nicotiana glauca), the American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) and the Annual Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), the latter being one of the top 100 worst European invasive species. Annual Ragweed spreads across Europe at a pace of 6 to 20 km per year from the ‘sources of epidemics’, Croatia being one of them. Because of        20

Annual Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) 53

such a rate of propagation, the concentration of its pollen in the air has multiplied ten times during the last decade. The Annual Ragweed’s pollen grains are among the strongest allergens. A concentration of only 30 grains per cubic metre of air can cause allergic reactions in particularly sensitive individuals. Increasing effort is being applied to the eradication of Annual Ragweed, and, in Croatia, there are legal regulations prescribing such concerted action. Several invasive tree species grow in the Garden’s arboretum, such as the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), the Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and the Boxelder Maple (Acer negundo), together with invasive herbaceous perennials such as Mock Strawberry (Duchesnea indica), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and the two metre tall Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria sachalinensis). The propagation and affects of invasive species present serious issues which are causing increasing concern. Invasive species or the ‘green tumors’ as the ecologists call them, are some of the most direct causes of biodiversity degradation and generation of ‘biological deserts’. Invasive species have spread into almost all ecosystems on Earth, thanks to the ever-increasing mobility of people, through trade, tourism and population growth. Biologists have realised the problems caused by invasive species for at least 20 years. Today, more than 200 billion dollars are spent annually in fighting invasive species around the world. (D. S.)

Did you know? People can still inadvertently contribute to the spreading of plant species. One environmental research project carried out in the Antarctic showed exactly how. Before landing on this most southern continent, the ecologists cleaned all the belongings of the passengers on board. They thoroughly cleaned their clothes, shoes, bags and other equipment, and found a total of 2600 seeds. Every tourist on board had on average two to three seeds on them, and every scientist even up to six! More than 50% of these seeds were the seeds of plant species adapted to grow in a cold climate, which means that they were potentially invasive species.   Ballast water contributes significantly to the spreading of plant species. To keep their stability, large ships load up with water when sailing out and unload the water at their destination. Many invasive species sail the oceans this way. Scientists estimate that at any given moment, from 5,000 to 10,000 species travel around the world in ballast waters! 54

The horse chestnut or buckeye family (Hippocastanaceae) and the maple family (Aceraceae) are closely related and have been merged recently into the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) that includes many other tropical species. Horse chestnuts (Aesculus spp.) are easily recognizable by their specific traits: big sticky buds, digitate leaves, upright, variably coloured inflorescences and shiny reddish-brown, inedible fruits enclosed in spiky capsules. Among about twenty described species, the best known is the Horse Chestnut Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) (Aesculus hippocastanum, P8f), a frequent garden tree with a broad crown and white inflorescences, native to the Balkan peninsula and Asia Minor. The Yellow Buckeye (A. flava, P8g) has yellow flowers, while the Red Buckeye (A. pavia, P8h) has reddish inflorescences. The long, narrow inflorescences of Bottlebrush Buckeye (A. parviflora, P38e) are comprised of fragile white flowers. A smaller hybrid of the Common and the Red Horse Chestnut, or Rose Horse Chestnut (A. × carnea, P35a) is commonly grown in tree-lined avenues. Although they share a common name because of the resemblance of their fruits, the true, edible Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) and the Horse Chestnut are not closely related and belong to different families. The maples (Acer spp.) include 128 known species, mostly native to Asia. These are mainly rather small ornamental trees, grown in Chinese and Japanese gardens and are used in the technique of bonsai. The most frequently cultivated oriental maples are the Japanese Maple (A. palmatum, P41a), its numerous cultivars (e. g. Red-leaved ‘Atropurpureum’, P41b) and the cultivars of the Full Moon Maple (A. Rose Horse Chestnut (Aesculus × carnea)          21

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japonicum), especially the famous ‘Aconitifolium’ with deeply lobed leaves (P41c). Some Asian species are hard to recognise as maples because they have unlobed leaves, not the characteristically palmate ones. However, all maples have a recognizable fruit, the samara, sometimes called a schizocarp, composed of two particularly asymmetrically winged halves (twowinged seeds). The simple-leaved maples are, for example, the Japanese Hornbeam Maple (A. carpinifolium, P41d) and the Chinese species Père David’s Maple (A. davidii, P35b). North American maples are best known for their brilliant, vivid autumn colours, ranging from golden yellow to scarlet red, especially in the forests of the northeastern regions of the United States and southern Canada. The yellow and orange leaf colouration comes from the protective pigments called carotenoids that become visible once the green chlorophyll pigment decays. Unlike carotenoids that are always present in the leaves, the anthocyans, or red protective pigments, are synthesised in the leaves in late summer and mostly during cold sunny days. There are only a few maples native to Europe, although some of the largest, most interesting species, and the most frequently planted cultivars count among them. The Sycamore (A. pseudoplatanus, P35c), a fast growing tree found in areas of moderate altitudes and mountains, is native to Europe and Asia Minor, and one of the tallest maples. It can reach 35 m in height. Its simple, palmate leaves turn an attractive dark yellow in the autumn. The white-yellow spotted leaves of the cultivar A. pseudoplanatus ‘Leopoldii’ (P34a, P35d) are also very decorative. Sycamore timber is highly valued in joinery and the manufacture of instruments. It is interesting that the back of the famous Stradivari violins are said to have been made from special Sycamore trees with wavy wood-fibres (‘the curly maple’) originating from the Croatian and Bosnian Dinaric Alps! The second most frequent European tree species in mountain habitats is the Norway Maple (A. platanoides, P35e), a smaller and more symmetrical tree with deeply palmate leaves and pointed

Père David’s Maple (Acer davidii) 56

Maple (left) and Dipteronia (right) fruits

lobes, often planted in gardens and avenues. Several of its cultivars with variously coloured leaves, including the black red-leaved cultivar ‘Crimson King’ (P17a), are also sometimes planted. The Cretan or Evergreen Maple (A. sempervirens, P33), a rarely cultivated east Mediterranean species with variable, small leathery leaves, has the smallest leaves of all the maples. The strange genus Dipteronia, which consists of only two rare, endemic Chinese species, also belongs to the maple family. The Chinese Dipteronia (D. sinensis, P35f) is a shrub or small tree with opposite pinnate leaves. Unlike the fruit of other maple trees, the fruit of this species is winged on both sides. (V. S.) Before the trees produce their foliage and winter leaves the region, the early spring flowers protrude through the snow cover. In Croatian, we call the earliest ones ‘vjesnici proljeća’ or the ‘flowers announcing the arrival of spring’. In the Botanical Garden, we grow more than 40 species of early spring flowers belonging to different families, which vary significantly in the shape and colour of their flowers. If you want to experience the beauty of the Botanical Garden in spring, come and visit it on April 1, as soon as the Hollow Corydalis (Corydalis bulbosa) doors are open to the public (or, in warm springs, even a few days earlier). The best known and earliest spring flowers, including the ‘flowers announcing the arrival of spring’, such as snowdrops, winter aconites, spring snowflakes, crocuses and wood anemones can be found all around the Garden. However, if you happen to visit the Garden in early April, this is the spot where you can see one of our most appealing early spring flowers – the Snake’s Head Fritillary or Chess        22

Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis ‘Somei Yoshino’) 57

Flower (Fritillaria meleagris). Here, you can also see Hollow Corydalis (Corydalis bulbosa), an early spring flower with white or red-purple flowers, plus Yellow and White Anemones (Anemone ranunculoides and A. nemorosa), Lesser Celandines (Ranunculus ficaria) and Alpine Squills (Scilla bifolia). Do not miss the fascinating sight of the blooming Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis ‘Somei Yoshino’, P23) in April. Cherry blossoms are one of the most important symbols of the Japanese culture. They represent the beginning of spring. Our trees were a gift from the Japanese Cherry Tree Association. (D. S.)

Did you know? Spring flowers are mentioned in many tales and myths. One of the best known Greek myths is about the origin of the daffodil (narcissus). According to myth, a beautiful and vain young man fell in love with himself when he saw his reflection on the water surface. His unrequited love drove him to suicide and his body transformed into a daffodil .

Dogtooth Violet (Erythronium dens-canis) is one of our most beautiful early spring flowers. It was named ‘dogtooth’ because its bulb resembles a dog’s tooth. Its brightly-coloured flowers and the unusual elongated, spotted leaves are attractive. In nature, it grows in continental deciduous forests, but in the Garden you can see it in our karstic rockery ( 33 ) or P45. Snake’s Head Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) is a vulnerable and statutorily strictly protected species of the Croatian flora. This poisonous plant produces beautiful purple flowers sprinkled in lighter and darker shades, looking somewhat like a checkerboard. The loss of habitat is the main threat for this species. The Snake’s Head Fritillary lives in wet meadows that are becoming scarce because of unfavorable human influences. 58

Spring Crocus (Crocus vernus) is one of the earliest spring flowers, sometimes protruding through snow cover. Crocuses like welllit, sparse woods and glades. To produce half a kilogram of saffron, the most expensive spice on earth, a quarter of a million pistils of the species Crocus sativus, which is now extinct in nature, are needed. The Two-leaf Squill (Scilla bifolia) got its name because of the two lanceolate leaves separated by the peduncle carrying blue-violet flowers. It inhabits various deciduous forests in the moderate climate belt, but it is also well-known in horticulture as it produces a number of variously-coloured and -shaped flowers. The water supply system (including the well and the engine room), built in 1933 according to a design by architect Juraj Denzler for purposes of the City Water Supply Network, is hidden in the shade of linden and maple trees. The building’s carefully designed façade, with a pergola, blends perfectly with the ambience of the Botanical Garden. It is one of the very few preserved water supply systems built in Zagreb before the Second World War, which is why        22a

Water well and engine room 59

it is considered an exceptionally valuable example of industrial water supply architecture and an interesting monument of modernism of the 1930s. We plan to renovate the building, repair the pergola and continue to use the water from the well to irrigate our flowerbeds. (B. J.) The Oriental raisin tree (Hovenia dulcis, P35f), is a fast-growing tree from eastern Asia, recognizable by its large, glossy, dark green leaves with pronounced veins and fragrant, yellowish white flowers grouped in cymose inflorescences. The most interesting parts of the plant are the edible fleshy fruit stalks that are rich in various sugars, which is why hovenia is popularly known Oriental Raisin Tree (Hovenia dulcis) as the ‘bonbon tree’. The taste of the raisin tree’s ‘bonbons’ reminds one of raisins and carobs. In Korea, the extract of the fruit is used for treating liver inflammation, especially if caused by excessive consumption of alcohol. (V. S.)        23

Out of about a hundred, mostly subtropical and tropical species of the genus Styrax, only one species is native to Europe, the Snowdrop Bush (Styrax officinalis, P35g). The Snowdrop Bush lives naturally in east Mediterranean countries, mainly as a deciduous bush or a small tree, but sometimes it is also cultivated in gardens because of its fragrant, white flowers and silvery, cherry-like fruits on long pedicels. In Croatia, it can be found in southern Dalmatia, especially on the island of Brač. Its scented resin, styrax or storax, obtained by incising the bark of the tree, was used in ancient Egypt and Greece as a medicinal substance, a perfume base and, as an incense in religious rites. Nowadays, a substitute styrax is made from the American and Oriental Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua, P52a and L. orientalis, P45a). Styrax resin known as benzoin is, however, still obtained from the Asian Styrax species. (V. S.) Snowdrop Bush (Styrax officinalis)        24

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The two most widely spread and best known lindens or limes (Tilia spp., P42) are the Small-leaved Linden (T. cordata) and Large-leaved Linden (T. platyphyllos). Both species grow up to 40 metres in height. They are easily distinguished by their leaves. The Smallleaved Linden has heart-shaped leaves that grow up to 7 centimetres long. They are dark green and somewhat leathery on the upper side, with small tufts of brown hairs in the leaf vein axils. The leaves of the Large-leaved Linden grow from 8 to 12 centimetres long and have white downy hairs on the underside, particularly along Large-leaved Linden (Tilia platyphyllos) the veins. The fragrant flowers of both species make a delicious tisane that is used for healing purposes and treating various conditions. Lindens are also known for their longevity, and in many European countries there are specimens that are up to 1000 years old. The Slavic people worshipped the linden (lipa) as a sacred tree. In Croatia, like in many other European countries, much significance is ascribed to the linden. For example, the Croatian word for the month of June is lipanj (from the word ‘lipa’ meaning linden), and the Croatian monetary subunit is called ‘lipa’. (V. S.)        25

The Sub-mediterranean phytogeographic section (rockery) was built from 1963 to 1965. Plants originating from the Balkans, growing under the mild influence of the Mediterranean climate, are planted here, such as those from Croatia (the mountains of Učka, Risnjak, Mosor and Biokovo), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and even Greece. Although it is quite overshadowed by trees, some interesting species can nevertheless be seen in the Sub-mediterranean rockery. The Pheasant’s Eye (Adonis vernalis) was considered extinct in its natural Croatian habitats (shifting sands), but has recently been rediscovered.        26

Balkan Bear’s Breeches (Acanthus balcanicus) 61

The Latin name for this beautiful genus originates from a romantic Greek tale. Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, falls in love with Adonis, a handsome young man who is wounded during hunting by a wild boar and dies. Aphrodite’s tears falling on the ground were transformed into beautiful plants, the Pheasant’s Eyes. The Balkan Bear’s Breeches (Acanthus balcanicus), a massive herbaceous plant living in thickets and rocky slopes, is an interesting and highly valued horticultural plant because of its whitish-violet flowers which preserve their beauty during almost the entire vegetative season. The beauty of the Balkan Bear’s Breeches was already noticed by the Ancient Greeks. Its leaves are carved on Corinthian capitals of numerous Greek temples. Scorpion Senna (Coronilla emerus subsp. emeroides), a shrub with white streaks on the bark of its older branches, and bright yellow racemes, blossoms in May. On the elevation to the west one can see an Alpine Rose (Rosa pendulina), which is particularly decorative in late summer when it is full of red, ovate rose hips. Unlike the roses in the flowerbed (35), we do not prune or trim the indigenous species of roses in the rockeries in order to ensure their natural development. Near the roses, one can also see the Savin Juniper (Juniperus sabina), a beautiful shrub with horizontally spreading branches, which has been used in horticulture since ancient times. On the southern side of the rockery, there is a grey downy shrub called the Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa), which blossoms in late May or early June, when it produces whorls of beautiful yellow flowers . (D. M.) Pheasant’s Eye (Adonis vernalis) is a species native to dry European and Asian grasslands and steppes. This perennial with thickened rhizomes has been cultivated since 1568. The whole plant is toxic because of glycosides that stimulate the heartbeat, but it is also used as an active ingredient in some cardiac drugs. Blue Anemone (Anemone apennina) belongs to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is found in southern Europe, from Corsica to Greece, mostly in coastal mountains, in sparse heliophilous woods and thickets of the mountain belt. It is a poisonous plant. Sensitive individuals can experience skin irritations on contact with its sap. 62

Balkan Peony (Paeonia peregrina) is a shrubby deciduous perennial found in southern Europe and Turkey. Depending on the climatic conditions, it blossoms late Spring to mid-summer. The roots of this type of peony contain acids with antimicrobial properties, but they can also cause stomach problems. Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa) is a small evergreen shrub, growing on exposed limestone rocks of the southeastern Dinarides. It likes sunny areas protected from the wind, and dry soil. The name of the genus, Phlomis (flame), originates from the Greek physician Dioscorides, who used the leaves of certain species of this genus as wicks for lighting oil lamps. The olive family (Oleaceae) comprises about 600 cosmopolitan plants divided in 24 genera, with the highest concentration in south-east Australia and Asia. They are mainly small trees and shrubs, sometimes vines or creepers of diverse shapes and types of leaves and fruits. The most famous genera are olives, ashes, privets, forsythias, lilacs and jasmines. Greenstem Forsythia (Forsythia viridissima) Forsythias (P43, P44) are garden bushes with bright yellow flowers that everybody recognises. They respond well to pruning and tolerate the urban air, and they are easily propagated by stem cuttings. In parks, the most commonly found are the cultivars of the Hybrid Forsythia (Forsythia × intermedia), obtained by crossing the Chinese species, the Common or Weeping Forsythia (F. suspensa) and the Greenstem Forsythia (F. viridissima). Most of forsythias are east Asian plants, with the exception of the Balkan endemic, European Forsythia (F. europaea). There are only about thirty described species of lilacs, mostly native to Asia, with the exception of the Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris, SM) that grows in        27

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southeastern Europe. It was brought here by the Turks during the Ottoman Empire because of its beautiful, fragrant flowers. In the 19th century, the cultivation of lilacs became very popular, so that more than 1000 cultivars with flowers of different size, shape and colour have been produced (P43, P44, the flowerbed next to the northwestern fence). Privets (Ligustrum spp., P44) also belong to the olive family. Privets are shrubs and small trees. Two species of privets are The ‘Sensation’ cultivar of the commonly cultivated in Europe, mostly as Common Lilac hedges. The Wild Privet (L. vulgare) is the only indigenous Croatian species, and is found at the edges of woods. As this is a deciduous species, the Asian Evergreen Privet (L. ovalifolium) is often planted instead. Ashes (Fraxinus spp., P44, P45, P46, SM) are the biggest plants in the olive family. Some of them, like the European Ash (F. excelsior), are among the tallest indigenous European trees. Ashes are easily recognised by their pinnate leaves and clusters of winged fruits that are dispersed by the wind. Of 65, mostly American and Eurasian species, only four are native to Europe, three of which occur in Croatia. Many pre-Christian European peoples worshipped the ash more than the oak and the linden, especially the Vikings; their World Tree – Yggdrasil, was an immense ash tree. There are about two hundred species of jasmine (Jasminum spp.), including shrubs, vines and creepers, some of which have been known for thousands of years for their lovely fragrant flowers (the word ‘jasmin’ is of Persian and Arab origin and it simply means ‘a fragrant flower’.) Although jasmines mainly grow in warm climates, the Winter Jasmine (J. nudiflorum,  02 ), which blossoms during winter and produces yellow flowers, is often planted in continental regions. (V. S.) Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) 64

Forest of trees resembling sequoias covered the northern hemisphere about 140 million years ago. As the climate changed, the range of these species was considerably reduced. Only three species have survived to this day. They belong to the subfamily of redwoods (Sequoioideae) within the cypress family (Cupressaceae). The Coast Redwood (Sequoia Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) cones sempervirens, P51a) grows in a narrow coastal area of the United States, from southern Oregon to Monterey Bay in California. Although the majority of old trees have been cut down, groves of old specimens have been preserved in national and memorial park forests, including specimens that are over 1000 years old and reach up to 116 metres in height. Sequoias thrive only in the fog belt of California and Oregon, at altitudes between 30 and 750 metres, where frequent summer fogs bring sufficient moisture in what is otherwise a very dry season. In the mature sequoia forests, most of the propagation is vegetative, by burl sprouting from masses of dormant buds under the bark. This way of propagating gives the sequoias a tremendous advantage over sexuallypropagating (by seeds) species. Giant Sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum, P51b), which are sturdier, but not as tall as coast redwoods, are the most massive and heaviest living organisms on Earth! The famous tree named ‘General Grant’, with a diameter of 17 metres at ground level, 84 metres in height and about 1500 cubic metres in volume, weighs more than 2000 tons! Giant Sequoias grow in small populations on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in central California, as well as in some protected areas like the famous Sequoia National Park. Unlike the Coast Redwood, Giant Sequoias do not propagate vegetatively, but only by seeds. Yet, it rarely propagates in the natural environment due to a low germination rate and lack of light on the forest floor. The Giant Sequoia is also ecologically distinct from the Coast Redwood in that it grows at high altitudes (1400-2000 m and is more resistant to cold winters and hot dry summers, but does not tolerate flooding and soaked soil. (V. S.)        28

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Ginko (Ginkgo biloba, P45b) is the only living representative of an ancient group of gymnosperms that reached maximum development, diversity and distribution in the Mesozoic Era, about 150 million years ago. This ancient seed plant is considered to be a living fossil, because of its possession of archaic, primitive features like dichotomous venation of its leaves, motile spermatozoid cells (much like animal ones), germination without dor- Ginko Seeds mancy, in addition to a general resemblance to its Mesozoic ancestors. Nowadays, it is one of the most planted ornamental urban trees. Ginkgo is easily recognised by its fan-shaped leaves, sometimes split into two lobes, and particularly attractive in autumn when they turn golden yellow. In autumn, female trees develop seeds (not fruits) enclosed in a fleshy yellow envelope that emanates a very unpleasant odour, which is why only male trees are sought for cultivation. (V. S.)        29

Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides, P45c), together with the Coast Redwood and the Giant Sequoia ( 25 ), is the third living representative of the sequoia subfamily. Today it is present in small native populations in the Chinese provinces of Hubei and Sichuan. Its leaves and bark resemble those of the Coast Redwood but it is a smaller tree (it grows up to 60 metres in height) and, unlike its relatives, it does not have evergreen foliage. Because of its deciduousness, broadened root collar and the shape of its leaves and cones, the Dawn Redwood is easily mistaken for the Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum, 04). Discovered and described as late as in the 1940s, the Dawn Redwood is, from a nomenclatural point of view, one of the the most recently described tree species. Much like the Ginkgo, it is considered a living fossil because it closely resembles a two-million year old fossil palaeo-species of the genus Metasequoia from Japan, as well as other extinct metasequoias, whose fossils are found all across the northern Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia hemisphere. (V. S.) glyptostroboides)        30

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The Mediterranean trees and shrubs phytogeographic section (colloquially called the Mediterranean Rockery, M1) was built in 1954, when the collection of Croatian coastal plant species in the Botanical Garden had grown so much that the nurseries became too crowded. In addition to the herbaceous plants, shrubs and woody plants were also planted, and which have, over the decades, overshadowed the major part of the rockery. This is why a new rockery was built in 2009 (M2,  10 ), to be reserved for the heliophytes (‘sun loving plants’) from the Croatian coastal area, while the old rockery remained planted with coastal shrub and tree species. Nevertheless, some endemic Mediterranean herbaceous species can still be seen here, such as the Dubrovnik Bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana), which naturally grows Dubrovnik Bellflower (Campanula only around the City of Dubrovnik (in poscharskyana) the Konavle region), and the statutorily strictly protected and critically endangered Dalmatian Cranesbill (Geranium dalmaticum), which grows only on the Pelješac peninsula (the Sveti Ilija peak) but is known worldwide as an ornamental plant. On the partialy sunlit, northern side of the rockery, there is a nice small Kermes Oak (Quercus coccifera), south Dalmatian Cranesbill (Geranium Mediterranean and north African species. dalmaticum) It was named after the kermes scale insects (Kermes spp.) that feed on the oak’s sap and were used to produce the famous crimson dye. On the northern side of the walking path (P49), there is a Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo), a species that grows all along the Adriatic coast. In winter, it is adorned with inflorescences comprising small pale pink bell-shaped flowers that Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)        31

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reveal its relation to the heath family (Ericaceae). It produces yellow to bright red berries, which are edible and resemble the garden strawberries in shape and size, hence its common name both in Croatian and English, namely jagodnjak or the Strawberry Tree. This rockery also hosts a hybrid Strawberry Tree (Arbutus × andrachJapanese Mock Orange (Pittosporum tobira) noides), a spontaneous cross between the Common and the Greek Strawberry Tree (A. andrachne), a well-branched small tree with an appealing, smooth, orange-brown bark that peels regularly. In addition to the Strawberry Tree, the rockery also includes an Evergreen Oak ( 19 ) and a Mediterranean Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), a long-living evergreen conifer whose columnar crowns are considered to be landmarks in numerous Mediterranean countries. In Iran, wide-crown cypresses, almost 4000 years old have been described! In the eastern part of the rockery, there are several evergreen mock privet trees and shrubs of the Mediterranean genus Phillyrea. Mock privets are members of the olive family ( 27 ), together with olives, privets and ashes. One will also notice an interesting low-growing, evergreen horsetail (Ephedra fragilis subsp. camylopoda) near the mock privets. Horsetails belong to an odd, relict group called Gnetales, plants with a series of confusing gymnosperm features in combination with those of angiosperms. The homologues of true leaves in horsetails are small leathery scales and photosynthesis takes place in their green branchlets, which are called phylloclades. North of the rockery (P49), and in the flowerbed along the northwestern fence of the Garden, a collection of potted woody plants can be seen during the summer. They spend the winter in greenhouse conditions. These are mainly plants from the families and genera growing in warm regions characterised by a Mediterranean climate, i.e. the Mediterranean region proper together with some parts of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, California, Chile and central Asia. Special mention should be given to some genera from Asia and the Southern Hemisphere such as the pittosporums (Pittosporum spp.), podocarps (Podocarpus spp.) and araucarias (Araucaria spp.). (V. S.) 68

Did you know?In recent years, thanks to the global warming and climatic changes, some palm species have managed to survive outdoors in central and even northern Europe, for example, the Chinese Windmill Palm or Chusan Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), which is the most cold-resistant palm species. It can withstand cold temperatures down to -10°C but only for a short while. Today, they have been planted widely outside gardens. ‘Wild’ populations of the Chinese Windmill Palm have been present at the foot of the Swiss Alps since 1970. In 1982, we tried to grow a 50 year old specimen of this species in the Garden, but it survived only three mild winters. The Chinese Windmill Palm that we planted in front of the Botanical Garden Administration Building in 2009 seems to be more resistant. During the winter, it is covered with a protective anti-frost sheet. (B. J.)

The Gardener’s House was built in 1890. It was the first brickbuilt structure in the Botanical Garden and it included a gardener’s flat. After the Second World War, the long-time director of the Botanical Garden, Dr. Sala Ungar, moved in with her family. Today, the building includes administration and professional staff offices. (B. J.)

       31a

Gardener’s House (today Botanical Garden administration building), ca. 1910 69

The honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae, P49, P46 and P48) comprises a number of commonly-seen ornamental and useful shrubs and small trees belonging to several different genera. Among the weigelas (Weigela spp.), the most frequent are the cultivars of the Pink Weigela (W. florida), grown for their funnel-shaped, brightly coloured flowers, such as the dark pink flowers of the ‘Bristol Ruby’ cultivar. The Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis), the only species of its genus, native to central China, is considered one of the most beautiful species of this family. Its dark pink buds open to form tubular, bell-shaped, pale pink flowers with a char- Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis) acteristic dark yellow ‘web’ on the inside of their ‘throats’. In winter, the Beauty Bush can be recognised by the bark of the naked branches peeling in narrow bands. The honeysuckles, with about 180 species belonging to the genus Lonicera, 20 of which are European, include mainly climbers with attractive flowers. Many cultivars of the Blue (L. caerulea), Forest (L. periclymenum) and Japanese (L. japonica) Honeysuckle are very common in horticulture. The Chinese species, with small evergreen leaves, such as the Boxleaf Honeysuckle (L. nitida) and the Privet Honeysuckle (L. pileata) are often found as low hedges or ground-cover. The Winter Beauty (L. × purpusii) is a fast-growing shrub, common in parks and gardens. It is planted mainly for its inconspicuous, intoxicatingly-fragrant flowers that bloom in wintertime. On plot P49, in front of the Winter Beauty shrubs, we grow various species of the snowberry genus (Symphoricarpos spp.), which are also common ornamental shrubs. They are recognizable by their clusters of round, pearl-like berries, which are white in the Common Snowberry (S. albus), pink and red in the Coralberry (S. orbiculatus) and pink in the Hybrid Coralberry (S. × chenaultii). Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)           32

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Viburnum (Viburnum spp.), one of the most renowned genus of the family, has recently been moved into a different family. Appearing mostly as shrubs and small trees, viburnums are cultivated for their attractive, sometimes fragrant flowers and vividly coloured fruits. Laurestine (Viburnum tinus, M1), a Mediterranean species, produces flowers during several months of the year, often in winter, and grows well despite pruning. This is why it is used in topiaries and hedges (P49). The ‘Roseum’ cultivar (synonym The ‘Roseum’ Cultivar of the Guelder ‘Sterile’) of the Common or Guelder rose (V. Rose opulus), with white snowball-like inflorescences, is one of the oldest cultivated viburnums. The Wayfaring Tree (V. lantana), a wild deciduous species whose semi-leathery leaves are densely downy and grey on the underside, is most beautiful in the autumn, when it produces head-shaped clusters of drupes that change colour from green, through red to dark red, while the leaves turn red. The Leather Leaf Viburnum (V. rhytidophyllum), a large evergreen shrub, is recognizable by its deeply-veined oval, leathery leaves, deeply wrinkled on the upper surface and densely downy and yellowish on the underside. The beautiful, whitish-pink, sweet-scented flowers are the reason why the Korean Spice Viburnum (V. carlesii) is frequently cultivated as well. (V. S.) The karstic phytogeographic section, also known as the karstic rockery, is the largest and the oldest space in the Garden dedicated to indigenous Croatian species. It was built in 1927 thanks to the efforts of Prof. Ivo Horvat, a world renowned Croatian botanist, according to the design prepared by Mr. Franjo Roštapil, the Assistant Gardener. This 6 metre tall, artificial elevation was envisaged as an area for representing various plant communities: groves of Downy Oak and Hop Hornbeam, Sessile Oak and Common Hornbeam, beech, fir and dwarf mountain pine, as well as the vegetation of karstic rocks, alpine meadows and cliffs. As many as 99% of the plants seen in this rockery originate from their natural habitats across Croatia: from the nearby Mt Medvednica, but also from Samoborsko gorje, Žumberačko gorje, Ivanščica, Strahinjščica, Ravna gora, Kalnik, Klek and Velebit. Among the numerous species in this rockery, the only        33

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Croatian monotypic genus, Degenia velebitica, truly stands out. It belongs to the cabbage family (Brassicaceae) and has yellow flowers and greyish fruits. It was formerly considered to be native only to the Velebit region, but now it can also be found in the lower areas of Mt Kapela. It is statutorily strictly protected and considered an endangered species. Croatian Sibiraea (Sibiraea altaiensis subsp. croatica) is also a well-known Croatian endemic species. This low shrub with tiny white flowers, from the rose family (Rosaceae), is a relict species whose closest relatives live in central Asia and China. Winter Aconite (Eranthis hiemalis) is an early spring flower that blooms very early, during late winter, when the Garden is closed to public. The critically endangered Snowdrop Anemone (Anemone sylvestris) is a perennial that lives in thermophillous forests. Today it is still present in only a few locations in northwestern Croatia. A particular subspecies of the Christmas Rose or Black Hellebore (Helleborus niger subsp. macranthus) is common in the Croatian regions of Gorski kotar and Žumberačko gorje. It has evergreen leathery leaves and white flowers that turn pink after pollination. Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis), a relative of the anemones, is an early spring ornament of deciduous forests. Mouse Thorn (Ruscus hypoglossum) is an evergreen subshrub, growing in shaded deciduous forests, distinguished by its ‘fake leaves’ (phylloclades). The Big Orpine (Sedum telephium subsp. maximum) has fleshy, juicy leaves like succulents. The Balm-leaved Red Dead-nettle (Lamium orvala) is a Tertiary relict, a very nice plant living on the edges of forests. Just beside the path to the north, there is Common Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis). It has spotted leaves and pink flowers that turn blue with age. Hacquetia (Hacquetia epipactis), an early spring flower, is a herbaceous perennial whose inflorescence looks like a single flower, which is very unusual in the carrot family (Apiaceae). Spring Vetchling (Lathyrus vernus) is found in beech forests, mixed Pedunculate Oak and Common Hornbeam forests. It is also a Spring-flowering species. (D. M.) Orange Lily (Lilium bulbiferum) has shiny, conspicuous flowers and stems with reddish spots. It grows in limestone-rich mountain grasslands of central and southeastern Europe where it is statutorily strictly protected. It blooms in July and August, and is often used in horticulture for its ornamental value. 72

Mountain Cowslip (Primula auricula) is a plant with robust, sturdy roots and thick, fleshy, perennial leaves. Its fragrant flowers have light yellow corollas. It lives in the Alps and adjacent subalpine regions, as well as in some mountains of the Balkan Peninsula, and is frequently used in horticulture. Leopard’s Bane (Doronicum orientale) has cordate leaves and yellow inflorescences, and grows in southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and Asia Minor. It likes sunny habitats, but also lives in partially shaded places. In Croatia, it grows on Mount Medvednica. Cultivars of this species are often used in horticulture, mostly in urban areas. Waldsteinia (Waldsteinia geoides) grows in central and western Europe, in the Balkans and the Caucasus region. It blooms from April to May, in sparse deciduous woods and thickets. The genus got its name after the Austrian botanist Franz de Paula Adam von Waldstein-Wartenberg (17591823). Velebit Degenia (Degenia velebitica) is the most famous Croatian endemic plant, an inhabitant of limestone screes. The story about the discovery of the species is quite interesting. It was first noticed by Hungarian botanist Arpad Degen who classified it into the former North American genus Lesquerella. By analyzing the herbarium specimens, Austrian botanist August Hayek realised that it was a separate genus and species. A relief of its flower and fruit can be seen on the Croatian 50 lipa coin. 73

Croatian Pink (Dianthus giganteus subsp. croaticus) is an endemic species growing on limestonerich soils of the montane and premontane grasslands of North-western Croatia, in the regions of Gorski kotar and Lika, as well as on Mt Velebit. This herbaceous perennial blooms in May, when it displays its dark red flowers grouped in capitulate inflorescences.

Christmas Rose (Hellebore) (Helleborus niger subsp. macranthus), an Illyrian endemic, flowers from January to March or, depending on the microclimate and altitude, sometimes around Christmas. It is a characteristic species of Croatian beech, mixed beech and fir forests. Christmas Rose grows on dolomitic substrates where it is an indicator species. It is also poisonous.

Croatian Iris (Iris croatica) inhabits the Croatian sparse Downy Oak and Hop Hornbeam forests. In 2000, the Croatian Iris was proclaimed the Croatian National Flower at the proposal of the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences. Croatian botanists, Prof. Ivo Horvat and his wife Marija described and named the species. Balkan Peony (Paeonia mascula) is an herbaceous perennial. It creates stunning natural ‘alpine gardens’ in the rocky regions of Mount Velebit. The genus got its name after Paeon, a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. Asclepius was jealous of his pupil and Zeus saved Paeon from Asclepius’s wrath by turning him into the beautiful peony flower. 74

Dalmatian Laburnum (Petteria ramentacea) is a deciduous shrub living in limestone-rich karst areas characterised by the Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean climate. One of its Croatian common names is negnjil (‘the one that resists decay’) deriving from the belief that its roots do not decompose even when the aerial part of the plant dies. It is a valuable species for karst reforestation. Mouse Thorn (Ruscus hypoglossum) has inconspicuous flowers. It blooms in March, April and May, and has been used as a medicinal plant since ancient times. In modern times, people cultivate it mainly to protect the natural populations of the species, since it is massively used in floristry. Croatian Sibiraea (Sibiraea altaiensis subsp. croatica) is an endemic plant native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, growing in Black Pine thickets and coastal beech forests of northern and central Mount Velebit, and the Čabulja and Velika Čvrsnica Mountains. It is a Tertiary relict that survived the glaciations and is rare and highly localised today.

Basins with fountain were built in 1891 for the purpose of growing water lilies. They were renovated in 2005 in order to restore their original design. At the end of the 20th century, a small dome-shaped greenhouse (Victoria’s House) was built, including a basin for growing tropical marsh plants. For decades, several cultivars of hardy water lilies with red, yellow and pink flowers (Nymphaea x marliacea ‘Rubra’, ‘Chromatella’ and ‘Rosea’)        34

The ‘Rubra’ cultivar of the Hardy Water Lily (Nymphaea x marliacea) 75

have been successfully grown in the pools around the water fountain. In 2006, the collection was enriched with new cultivars: ‘Rene Gerard’, ‘Perry’s Double White’ and ‘Paul Harriot’. Sacred Lotuses (Nelumbo nucifera) are most prominent in August, with their large pink flowers and bluish green shield-shaped leaves raised high above the water surface. This beautiful perennial is native to south Asia and Australia. Buddhists treat Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) it as sacred, hence the common name. It has been cultivated around their temples for more than 2500 years. Asian peoples also use lotus tubers, leaves and seeds for food. Powdery Thalias (Thalia dealbata), native to warm North American areas, bloom in the same pool during the summer. The whole plant looks as if it is sprinkled with a whitish powder. Its violet flowers are grouped in inflorescences on top of the stalks that can grow from 1.5 to 2 metres above the water surface. The leaves of the Thalia look much like the leaves of the Canna Lily, so that it is sometimes called the Hardy Canna. Thalias and Sacred Lotuses successfully survive winters in the pool, protected against the cold and frost under a cover of dry leaves. (B. J.)

Victoria’s house is a small tropical greenhouse, most popular in the flowering season of the Giant Amazonian Water Lily and Water Hyacinth. The Giant Amazonian Water Lily or Victoria Water Lily (Victoria amazonica) is the biggest and best-known tropical water lily native to the Amazon River basin, where it was discovered by Czech botanist Tadeáš Haenke in 1801. Its white flowers look like our water lilies, only much larger. In its natural habitat, the flowers can reach 40 centimetres and their ridged circular leaves more than 2 metres in diameter! These sturdy leaves can support the weight of a grown person if equally distributed over the leaf surface. The Common Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a tropical South American plant Common Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

       34a

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that got its name after its beautiful, large, bluish-violet flowers grouped in inflorescences resembling those of the true hyacinths. The leaf anatomy of this species is quite interesting. The petioles are swollen, forming air-filled spongy bulbous stalks that keep the plant buoyant on the surface. The plant spreads by stolons, quickly covering the water surfaces, and for this reason is extremely invasive in tropical regions, and why selling and growing this plant is forbidden in some countries. Water Hyacinths grown in the Garden cannot survive winter outdoors, so that there is no danger of it spreading inside or outside the Garden. Occasionally, Fox Nut (Euryale ferox), the only species of its genus, can also be seen here. It originates from tropical swamps of India, Bangladesh and China. Its round leaves, which float on the surface of the water are thorny and look like the leaves of its cousin species the Amazonian water lily, but without elevated blade edges. The plants have firm, sharp thorns on the calyx, stem and both surfaces of the leaves. Its purple-violet flowers are relatively small and open during the day, usually under the water. (B. J.) Flowers of the tropical Victoria or Amazonian Water Lily are pollinated by nocturnal insects and that is why its flowers stay open from dusk till dawn. It is interesting to watch the changing of the colour of these flowers. The bud opens at dusk when the petals are completely white. The white flower stays open until late morning of the next day, and then it closes. On the second day, the petals reopen in the evening, but their colour is now reddish, sometimes even bright red. During the night, the red flower finally closes its petals and draws back into the water. The parterre occupies the central part of the Botanical Garden. It is an open space originally designed in the French style (jardin à la française). A parterre is a garden formed on a flat surface, composed of regularly shaped, strictly symmetrical flowerbeds, separated and connected by equally symmetrical gravelcovered paths. The beds may or may not contain flowers and they are encircled by stone curbs or geometrically trimmed low hedges. Claude Mollet, the master

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Parterre and Greenhouses, ca. 1920

gardener of three French kings at the turn of the 17th century, is considered to be the father of the parterre garden. His son André popularised the parterre garden in the Netherlands, Sweden and Great Britain, and thus it became popular across Europe as well. In garden architecture, the French style reached its climax during the 17th century, during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Most often, parterre gardens are associated with the name of the famous French landscape architect André le Nôtre, who designed some of the most famous French

Parterre and Greenhouses, 2005 78

gardens in the world (Vaux-le-Vicomte, VersaillesGreenwich Park). Parterre gardens are mostly built close to tall buildings because their regular design, which is intended to be admired more than the plants it contains, is best perceived from above. The parterre in our Garden predominantly includes flowers, mainly perennial and annual plants, and it is very modest in size. The best way to truly experience the beauty of the parterre and its central, nicely-trimmed lawn curbed by symmetrically arranged flowerbeds is by viewing it from the elevation in front of the exhibition greenhouse. Decorative herbaceous perennials are grown in the inner flowerbeds. Twice a year, various annuals are planted around them to produce spring and summer aspects. In the outer beds, rose cultivars from the Rosa Floribunda and Rosa Polyantha groups have been cultivated for a number of years now. (S. K.) After the construction of the world’s first greenhouse (1840), exhibition greenhouse gradually became an integral part of every larger botanical garden. It can be said that in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the value of botanical gardens was judged by the size of their collections of tropical plants exhibited in their greenhouses. This is also reason why greenhouses were built in our Botanical Garden immediately after its establishment. Although they have been in use for more than a century, they have never been restored. The        36

Greenhouses, ca. 1895s 79

central greenhouses, built in 1891, form a single unit with the parterre. They are a valuable example of a specific architectural heritage. Unfortunately, this unique building, the only one of its kind preserved in Croatia, is also the only central building in the city’s ‘Green Horseshoe’ which has not, as yet, been restored. The restoration of the exhibition greenhouse would contribute to the integrity of the historical architectural heritage in the green part of Donji grad (the central, lower part of the city). At the same time, it would give the Southern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris) used as the Botanical citizens a new opportunity to see tropical Garden Logo species grown in a closed space. The basic concept of the restoration project prepared by conservation architect Mladen Perušić presupposes the greenhouse’s original shape. The distribution of tropical plants inside the greenhouse will follow the scheme identical to the original one and parts of the greenhouse will keep their original names. The only novelty will be the Shaded House, envisaged to be built in one part of the basement. There, the visitors will be able to see tropical and sub-tropical plants growing naturally in the shade of tall trees festooned mostly with epiphytes such as various ferns and bromeliads, and diverse climbers growing on both trees and moist rocks. In the collection of about 40 tropical and sub-tropical pteridophytes, some are more than 50

Painted Fingernails bromeliad (Neoregelia spectabilis) 80

years old. Among the most interesting ones are the Hare’s Foot Fern (Davallia solida ‘Superba’), native to Malaysia, the Japanese Holly Fern (Cyrtomium (Polypodium) falcatum), a popular ornamental plant found in warm climates, and a few cultivars of the Common Sword Fern (Nephrolepis (Aspidium) exaltata). During the restoration of the exhibition greenhouse, the ferns spend the summers outdoors in what we refer to as the Fernarium ( 39a ). In our collection, the bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae), a large group of tropical monocots comprising more than 3100 species, is represented by about 30 species belonging to 15 genera. Species and cultivars from the genera Aechmea and Billbergia have large inflorescences of brightly coloured bracts. They live in tall canopies of tropical forests. A number of species of other epiphytic bromeliads, e.g. the Scarlet Star (Guzmania lingulata), the Flaming Sword (Vriesea splendens) or the Painted Fingernails (Neoregelia spectabilis), are well known ornamental plants that can be bought in most flower shops. In the Palm House, the highest central part of the greenhouse with the lantern is reserved for tall, long-lived plants, including a few palm species, various figs (Ficus) and tropical climbers. Until the restoration of the exhibition greenhouse, most of these species will be placed outdoors during the summer ( 40 ). For decades, the northern, rustic wall of this part of the greenhouse has been overgrown by two Split-leaf Philodendrons (Monstera deliciosa), sturdy evergreen climbers originating from Mexico. The plants envisaged for the Temperate House include those that require lower winter temperatures than palms and figs. Just as in the past, this space will be mainly used to grow succulents, while some of the space will also be reserved for Welwitschia (Welwitschia mirabilis), a rare and interesting plant from the Namib Desert. The Cold House is envisaged for cultivating plants that require temperatures between 5°C and 10°C in winter, but prefer dry instead of humid air, such as the succulents, including the cacti ( 37 ). It is worth noting that, already in the first years after the greenhouse was built, visitors used to come early in the morning to see the flowers of the Queen of the Night (Selenicereus grandiflorus), a climber from the cactus family (Cactaceae), and which is still cultivated in the same greenhouse. The plants from this part of the exhibition greenhouse cannot withstand winter cold and are kept outdoors only during the summer. The Warm House is used for cultivating ‘true’ tropical plants that must be kept in a warm space, at a temperature of at least 18°C, and prefer moderate humidity. 81

Chinese Banana (Musa cavendishii)

This group includes many familiar species we know as house plants. After the restoration of the exhibition greenhouse, it will be used to house a varied collection of dumb canes, crotons, dragon trees, cordylines, mosaic plants, wax plants, tail flowers, screw-pines, devil’s tongues, begonias, peperomias, philodendrons, and many more. A very interesting plant, the Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum: Araceae), native to the island of Sumatra, is famous for its exceptionally huge inflorescence. It is a tuberous, herbaceous perennial with a spotted stem and quite unusual leaves that can reach up to 5 metres in length in the wild. Its violet-brown inflorescence normally grows more than 2 metres tall and emanates a very unpleasant odour. The Chinese Banana (Musa cavendishii) is an evergreen plant, about 3 metres tall, which regularly produces flowers and fruits. The fruits of this species are much smaller than those we buy in the supermarkets. In the Tropical House, the part of the exhibition greenhouse with a moist tropical climate, a very high level of humidity will be maintained all year round and the lowest winter temperature will be around 20°C. In this house, we intend to grow wellEndemic Mexican orchid Hernandez’ known, yet rarely cultivated plants like the Stanhopea (Stanhopea hernandezii) 82

pepper, ginger, sweet potato, among others. High levels of atmospheric humidity benefit the growth of tropical orchids (Laelia crispa, Vanda tricolor), including Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia), whose fruit is used as the famous spice in preparation of sweets and cakes. A collection of tropical marsh plants, usually grown in tropical fish aquariums, will be grown in the pools with warm water. (B. J., S. K., D. M.)

Did you know? In the 1890s, soon after its construction, the exhibition greenhouse was already overfilled and lacked the space required to increase the exotic plant collection. This situation has unfortunately remained until today, which is why the exhibition greenhouse is not open to the public (with the exception of students). Until the exhibition greenhouse is fully restored, we will be taking a large number of plants from the collection outdoors, so that you will be able to see them, at least during the summer.

The succulents are capable of storing water reserves in their leaves and thick stems, and thus have the ability to survive long dry periods in deserts and semi-deserts where they live. In the Botanical Garden, the succulents have always been an important part of the collection. An interesting selection of specimens belonging to the genera Agave and Echeveria was presented to the public at the Zagreb Economic Exhibition in 1891. During the 1930s, in the western part of the Garden, there was a small exhibition bed composed entirely of succulents and called ‘the cake’ (‘torta’). In our climate, the succulents spend the winter in the cold greenhouse because they cannot stand frost and low temperatures (with a very few exceptions). From May to September, they live outdoors, by the northern fence of the Garden and in one part of the parterre. Succulents include all cacti (Cactaceae). The Snowball Cactus (Espostoa lanata) is a columnar species covered with light-coloured hair and can grow up to 4 metres in height. It originates from the high plateaus of Peru and Ecuador. The Peruvian Apple Cactus (Cereus peruvianus) is also a columnar species, which can grow up to 9 metres in height. Of all Peruvian Apple Cactus (Cereus peruvianus)        37

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the cacti, only the genus Peireskia has fully developed, permanent leaves. All other cacti are characterised by no leaves or shortlived leaves, which may be very small as in some prickly pears (Opuntia), or those that are developed as thorns. The aloe (Aloe spp.: Aloaceae ) has thick fleshy leaves grouped at the bottom of the stem. Many aloe species have medicinal and cosmetic properties. The True Aloe (Aloe vera) sap has been used as a balm since ancient times. In 1560, the Century Plant or the American Agave aloe (Agave americana) was brought to Italy and has since spread all around the Mediterranean basin. The Flattopped Aeonium (Aeonium tabuliformae) is Aloe in bloom an endemic species of the Canary Islands. It is perennial in its natural habitats, but it lives only a few years in greenhouse conditions. Succulent spurges (Euphorbia spp. : Euphorbiaceae ) often look like cacti, so that they are easily mistaken for each other. Christ’s Thorn (Euphorbia milii) is a thorny spurge, but it is just one of many species around the world that are identified with Jesus Christ’s crown of thorns. The Aveloz or the Pencil Tree (Euphorbia tirucalii) is a woody plant with an extremely poisonous milky sap. (D. M.)

Did you know? The cactuses are perfectly adapted to rocky deserts and semi-deserts where no precipitation occurs for months, or even for years. The cacti are xerophytes adapted to this way of life because their stems have assumed the role of leaves. Thanks to their specially-textured tissue, known as water-storage parenchyma, they can store quantities of water in their stems. The surfaces of cacti are covered with a specially ‘designed’ cuticle that reduces evaporation and helps the plant retain its precious water.

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Flat-topped Aeonium (Aeonium tabuliformae)

Pencil Tree (Euphorbia tirucalii)

Did you know? Although similar, the succulent aloes (Aloe spp.) and century plants (Agaves spp.) are not closely related. Aloes are native to Africa, Madagascar, and Arabia, while the century plants are of American origin. About 400 species of aloes belong to the asphodel family (Asphodelaceae), while the 300 species of agaves belong to the Agavaceae. Agaves differ from aloes by, among other things, the thorns on the edges of their leaves. Adult aloes bloom regularly, every year, and they can also be woody, whereas agaves are always herbaceous. They bloom only once, after which the leaf rosette dies. It is interesting to note that aloes are used to produce medicines and balms, while agaves are used to produce tequila and lace!

In the Botanical Garden, we grow numerous cultivars and species belonging to about one hundred genera of the daisy family (Asteraceae). The scientific name of the family comes from the name of its typical genus (Greek aster meaning ‘star’). The older name of the family, Compositae, means ‘mixed’ or ‘composed’, which actually pertains to the anatomy of its inflorescence, i. e. the capitulum. Members of the daisy family have a very specific inflorescence (also known as the pseudanthium), in which the flower head looks like a single flower, but is actually an inflorescence composed Stokes’ Aster (Stokesia laevis)        37a

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of numerous tiny flowers. The daisy family has been evolving for 45 million years, which is enough time to cover the entire planet. The family includes almost 1,700 genera with more than 23,000 species. Many species from this family are used as food, ornamental plants or sources of natural pesticides. In addition to Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya) the ones in the systematic field ( 11 ), and in almost all ornamental flower beds in the Garden, here you can also see the representatives of about twenty genera of annual and perennial herbaceous asters. The Croatian flora includes about 20 species of medicinal yarrows (Achillea spp.). Here you can also see some popular, frequently-cultivated ornamental cultivars. The various cultivars of honeycombs or marigolds (Tagetes spp.) are recognised in public parks and private gardens. The North-American Stokes’ Aster (Stokesia laevis) or Townsend’s daisies (genus Townsendia), as well as the more famous species of coneflowers (genera Rudbeckia and Echinacea), blanket flowers (Gaillardia) or sneezeweeds (Helenium) are less frequently cultivated in Croatia (S. K.) At the initiative of Prof. Vale Vouk, late director of the former Department of Botany and the Botanical Garden, the Physiology Laboratory was built in 1928 for scientific research purposes. At present, the teaching staff of the Division of Botany and Division of Microbiology, both part of the Department of Biology of the Faculty of Science, still work in this building. (B. J.)        37b

Physiology Laboratory, ca. 1930 86

Surprisingly, there are certain plants that attract, capture and eat animals – the carnivorous plants! This fascinating phenomenon was unexplained until the 19th century, although some species were known and described a few centuries before. However, the fact that plants catch and digest animals was not understood at the time. Most often, the captured prey includes various insects, spiders, slugs and tiny crustaceans, but sometimes even vertebrates the size of a rat. They are also called insectivorous plants because the insects are their most usual prey. This group consists of about 650 plant White Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia species, which are found on all continents leucophylla) except Antarctica, and new taxa are discovered every year. Carnivorous plants mostly live on very nutrient-poor soils (usually in bogs, in water, on rocks, or as epiphytes in tropical forests). Their leaves are adapted in a variety of ways and are developed into traps for the capture of their prey. Colour, smell or sweet secretions are mainly used to attract the insects. The Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) has two movable halves that close as soon as an insect lands on the leaf and touches the trigger-hairs in the correct sequence. The prey is then captured and imprisoned by the ‘teeth’ along the leaf edges. North American trumpet pitchers (Sarracenia spp.) and tropical pitcher plants (Nepenthes spp.) have leaves that look like pitchers. The leaves of sundews (Drosera spp.) and butterworts (Pinguicula spp.) secrete sticky, slimy droplets, which the insects stick to when they land on the leaf. Due to a lack of adequate space, the collection of insectivorous plants is grown in the greenhouse and small showcase, allowing you, during the summer, to closely examine the most beautiful specimens of carnivorous plants from our collection. (B. J.)          38

Cape Sundew (Drosera capensis) 87

Did you know? At first sight, carnivorous plants look like any other plant with leaves, flowers, roots and seeds. They are green because of the chlorophyll, which they assimilate well in their environment. The captured insects serve only as food supplements, not their primary source of food. The scarcity of soil nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, is compensated by animal proteins. They are the only kinds of plants that secrete proteolytic enzymes in order to digest prey by decomposing the animal proteins and absorbing their products as supplementary food. Undigested leftovers of insect bodies usually remain in the traps and dry together with the leaf.

The wrought-iron fence around the Botanical Garden was built in several phases during three different periods, according to the development plans for this part of the city. In the first decade after the Garden had been founded (1889-1899), the northern border was palisaded with a simple wooden fence. The City Planning Office designed a new fence in 1899. Since the parterre had already been shaped at the existing ground level, and the adjacent street (the present-day Mihanovićeva Street) was planned to be raised, the northern fence was built with a high parapet, a brick wall and a stone sill on which the ornamental wrought-iron fence was mounted. The eastern and western parts of the fence were built later. Along the southern border, next to the railway, no ornamental fence has yet been built . (B. J.)        39a

Wrought-iron Fence 88

Mosses are an ancient group of plants that have been present on Earth for more than 400 million years now. The group is divided in three classes: true mosses, liverworts and hornworts. The tiny leaves (phylloids) usually consist of a single layer of cells. They have no true stem, but a simple cauloid and the roots Silver Thread Moss (Bryum argenteum) are replaced by rhizoids that hold the body of the plant to its substrate. Mosses have no flowers, seeds or fruits, but instead have spores and require water for reproduction. Since they have no vascular system, they rarely grow more than a few centimetres in size, with a notable exception of the order Polytrichales, which can grow up to 60 centimetres in height. According to the data from 2012, a total of 646 moss species has been recorded in Croatia, 488 of which belong to true mosses (Bryopsida), 156 to liverworts (Marchantiopsida) and only two to hornworts (Anthocerotopsida). Although you may not see them, there are more than 40 species of mosses in the Botanical Garden! We have four species belonging to four different liverwort genera (Marchantia, Conocephalum, Frullania, and Lunularia). Did you know? Six species of mosses You can recognise them by were found in the intestines of Ötzi, their irregular habit, growing the ‘Iceman’, discovered in the south like a somewhat slimy coating Tyrolean Alps in 1991, one of the oldaround many humid spots in est and best-preserved mummies found the Garden. The species, from in the ice. It has been assumed that about 20 genera of true mosses, some of them were accidentally ingestcover the bark of trees, the rocks ed with water or food, but one species in the rockeries, and suitable of bogmoss (Sphagnum imbricatum), walls. Some species even grow with proven antibiotic activity, might among grasses in several places have been used to heal wounds. in the Garden. (D. S.)        39

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Palms and figs spend their winters in greenhouses. During summers, they are displayed in this plot. After the reconstruction of exhibition greenhouse, part of this collection will be moved inside or around them. At present, there are about 750 species belonging to the genus Ficus recognised. The ornamental and exotic species are commonly called ficuses, while the wild and some cultivated ones are called figs after their edible fruits. The fruits of most ficuses are also edible, perhaps not for humans, but for a long list of wild animals, from insects Chinese Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) to mammals. Ficuses are tremendously important for the culture of the tropical world, both as objects of worship and for their everyday practical use. Placing the figs in a broad concept of the genus Ficus is not difficult. However, determination of the species within the genus is extremely complex. Figs are distinguished by the unique anatomy of their inflorescences and their very unusual manner of pollination, which is carried out by wasps of the Agaonidae family. In continental areas, figs are mainly cultivated as indoor ornamental plants. The main figs decorating the living rooms of our homes are the Rubber Fig (Ficus elastica) and the ubiquitous Benjamin’s Fig (F. benjamina) with its countless cultivars. The unusual, smallThe ‘Belize’ cultivar of the leaved Crawling Ficus (F. pumila) is also gaining Rubber Fig        40

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in popularity. On the plot in front of you, you can also see, during the summer, some less known, but also very attractive ficuses, such as the Long-leaved Ficus (F. binnendijkii ‘Alii’) and the Fiddle-leaf Fig (F. lyrata). For most people, palms are symbols of tropical areas, summertime and enjoyment on sandy beaches by warm seas. For botanists, palms (Arecaceae) are one of the most diverse and most interesting plant families, counting for more than 2400 species. Palms are widespread in tropical and subtropical areas, but mostly in the Amazonian rainforests and on the Indonesian and Malayan islands. In Europe, only two species of palms are indigenous, a species of date palm (Phoenix theophrasti) found in Crete, and the European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) found in the western Mediterranean. Many palms are economically important, which is why they Did you know? Millions of palms have been cultivated since ancient on the Mediterranean coast are times. They provide edible fruits, threatened by the Red Palm Weevil oil, starch and sweet sap that are (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), a small transformed into wines, liqueurs parasitic snout beetle originating from and edible wax. The stems are a southeastern Asia. Its invasion of the source of construction material Mediterranean palms is a consequence for housing and furniture, while of the globalization of the sapling trade. The snout beetles were brought the leaves are used for manufacto Europe in the 1990s with living turing rope-fibres. Our modest palm saplings imported from Egypt. collection of palms overwinters in The infestation is almost impossible the greenhouse, but in summer, to detect in the early stage, and the the plants are displayed in the larvae can destroy a fully grown palm park together with the figs and in only one year. This dangerous dragon trees. The collection comparasite is spreading fast and it has apprises plants from about ten genpeared on the Croatian coast as well. era: Butia, Caryota, Chamaerops, Unfortunately, no efficient means Chamaedorea, Howea, Latania, to prevent the expansion of the Red Livistona, Phoenix, Rhapis, Sabal, Palm Weevil have been discovered or Trachycarpus and Washingtonia. a cure for the infected plants. (B. J., S. K.)

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The public toilet was built in 1899. It is one of two such structures dating from the end of the 19th century that have been preserved in Zagreb: the other one is at the Mirogoj Cemetery. Both are representatives of public toilets built in gardens at that time. A somewhat different type of public toilet was envisaged for city squares. Again, two such public toilets have been preserved: one at Britanski Square and one near the Rectorate of the University of Zagreb. (B. J.)        40a

Public Toilet

Pteridophytes (Pterydophyta) are a large, ancient group of primitive vascular plants. Most often, the group is divided into four classes: clubmosses, horsetails, whisk ferns and true ferns. In their means of reproduction, true ferns are still fairly similar to the more primitive mosses ( 39 ), but they can also be compared favourably with seed-bearing plants since they have a vascular system. Unlike mosses, ferns are plants with true roots, fronds, stem and vessels. However, like the mosses, they carry Did you know? The time when sporangia, but generally on the unpteridophytes dominated the Earth derside of their leaves, where asexis often associated with the appearual reproductive cells (spores) are ance of the first land animals, but produced. There are about 10,000 their origin probably goes back to the Silurian Period (400 million species of true ferns, divided in 250 years ago). The richest reserves genera, living on Earth at present. In of coal, however, date from the this bed, The Fernarium, you can see Carboniferous Period (300 milsome of the most common species of lion years ago). These reserves were true ferns belonging to the Croatian formed in places where vast pteridoflora, which are permanently plantphyte forests used to exist. It is also ed. The Male Fern (Dryopteris filixworth noting that pteridophytes are mas) is one of the most common much older than dinosaurs!        41

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ferns of Croatian deciduous forests. The Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina) prefers shady, humid woods. The Common Polypody (Polypodium vulgare) and the Southern Polypody (P. cambricum) are two closely related fern species. The former, an evergreen, grows in the continental areas, while the latter, grows only in wintertime in the coastal region. Hart’s-tongue Fern (Asplenium Hare’s Foot Fern (Davallia solida ‘Superba’) (Phyllitis) scolopendrium) is an unusual fern with narrow, elongated leaves that look like long ‘tongues’. The Ostrich Fern (Matteucia struthiopteris), a rare species of the Croatian flora, has two types of fronds. In early spring, it sprouts brown shoots that carry spores, while the green, sterile fronds appear later. The Hard Shield Fern (Polystichum aculeatum) and the Soft Shield Fern (P. setiferum) are known as horticultural plants. Along with the domestic species grown outdoors, we grow a number of (sub)tropical species in the greenhouses, which are, during the summertime, placed in the open. Once the exhibition greenhouse is renovated, they will be placed in a ‘Shaded’ House ( 36 ). (S. K.) a)

b)

Ostrich Fern’s sterile (a) and fertile fronds (b)

The tropical and subtropical evergreen perennials from our collections, require permanent temperature above 20°C and high air humidity (around 90%), and spend most of their lives in the greenhouses. After the restoration of the exhibition greenhouse, most of the 350 species and cultivars from this important collection will be available for viewing. Until then, you can see them        41a

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outdoors during the summer. The dragon trees (Dracaena spp.) are quite frequent, undemanding indoor plants. The most famous dragon tree is the Canary Island Dragon Tree (Dracaena draco). Cordylines (Cordyline spp.), relatives of dragon trees, are also mostly subtropical plants, with a few exceptions that can survive in low temperatures, for example, the Cabbage Tree (Cordyline australis) can withstand snow and can grow outdoors, even in the Zagreb climate. Bird of Paradise Plant (Strelitzia reginae) North American yuccas (Yucca spp.), planted in pots at the Garden’s main entrance can also withstand snow ( 01 ). The Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise Plant (Strelitzia reginae), a highly appreciated ornamental, can be seen outdoors along the Croatian coast. This beautiful plant got its name after the English Queen Charlotte (Duchess of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz family, hence her maiden name) who reigned together with King George III. The Cubeb (Piper cubeba) is native to Java and Borneo. This spice was highly valued in Europe until the 17th century, and it Papaya (Carica papaya) is also mentioned in the writings of alchemists. The well-known ornamental plants, the so-called ‘radiator plants’ or peperomias (Peperomia spp.) belong to the same family. In our collections, we have about ten species and cultivars of radiator plants. The Mountain Coffee or Arabica (Coffea arabica) is the best known species of the coffee genus, which includes about 90 different species. Coffee was brought to Europe by the Turks. Arabica is native to Ethiopia and Yemen and its Latin name derives from the Latinised name of the Ethiopian Region of Kaffa. This ancient, rich kingdom grew coffee more than 1000 years ago. In our collections, we have twenty species belonging to the large family of gingers (Zingiberaceae). Among numerous other genera, mention should be made of the begonias (Begoniaceae), the arums (Araceae) and the spurges (Euphorbiaceae). Those that particularly stand out are the crotons (Codiaeum spp.), with more than 1,300 species in the tropics. (S. K., B. J.) 94

Characterised by large, piebald, leathery leaves, a few old cultivars of the Garden Croton (Codiaeum variegatum), have been decorating our tropical greenhouse for decades. In summer, you can also see them outdoors. A few hundred cultivars have been produced. They are much-appreciated potting plants. As representatives of the spurge family, crotons also produce a poisonous milky sap. (B. J.) The small trees with weeping branches growing in the corners of the parterre ( 35 ) are the ‘Pendula’ cultivar of the Pagoda Tree, or Weeping Japanese Pagoda Tree (Sophora japonica ‘Pendula’). Due to its attractiveness and dwarf growth, this cultivar is planted more often than the wild, ‘common’ species that can reach up to 15 metres in height, and which can be seen along the eastern path of the parterre (P27 and P28). Despite its scientific name, this tree species is native to the Chinese mountains and was introduced to Japan with the spread of Buddhism. The Pagoda Tree was brought to Europe in the 18th century, and today it can be found in gardens around the world. Like the Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), it belongs to the legume family (Fabaceae), as indicated by its pinnately compound leaves, and by its flowers, which resemble those of peas, as well as by its leguminous fruits. The Pagoda Tree blooms in summer with big cymose inflorescences composed of fragrant, tiny, yellow-white flowers, which can even be ‘heard’, so to say, because of the thousands of bees buzzing around looking for the nectar. (V. S.)        42

Weeping Japanese Pagoda Tree (Sophora japonica ‘Pendula’) 95

The European Cornel (Cornus mas, P41) is widespread in central and western Europe, and as far as the Caucasus and Iran in the east. It grows as a deciduous shrub or a small tree, not exceeding 12 metres. It is easily noticed among other woody plants because of its inflorescences of yellowish flowers that appear on naked branches in February and March. The Cornel’s fruits are drupes with red pericarps, at first very bitter, but edible European Cornel (Cornus mas) after they fall from the tree. They are rich in vitamin C, and in some countries, including Croatia, people use them to make jams and juices. The Cornel wood is very strong and dense, a fact appreciated by the Ancient Greeks who used it for making spears, javelins and bows, and it is one of few woods that sink in water. Cornel grows rather slowly, so the age of the small tree you are looking at is estimated to be about one hundred years. Nowadays, Cornels are rather neglected as useful and ornamental species as priority is now given to the American and Asian dogwoods (P17, P41), which are cultivated for their large false ‘flowers’. (V. S.)

       43

The alpine phytogeographic section (the so-called ‘alpine rockery’) was finished in 1949. It contains mostly herbaceous perennials, originally collected in the Alps. Since Croatia was one of the Yugoslav republics until 1991, the biogeographical groups were formed according to the former geographical divisions, and, since the former Republic of Slovenia was the country with alpine regions, this rockery includes mainly plants cultivated from the seeds that originated in Slovenia. The alpine rockery is an artificial elevation with two hills. The original plans envisaged a small stream running between the hills, which would ensure the required humidity for the alpine plants. However, the stream was never added, so the air humidity remains a limiting factor for the cultivation of montane grassland plants in the rockery. In winter, the alpine species require long-lasting snow-cover, which is becoming quite rare in Zagreb. Also, they can hardly withstand the extremely high summer temperatures, which are becoming more and more frequent. However, some of the species from the lower Alps have adapted rather well to the        44

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Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris subsp. laeta)

Mountain Pasque (Pulsatilla montana)

conditions in the Garden. Due to lack of space, only a few shrubs or small trees, such as the pioneer species of Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus) or Large-leaved Willow (Salix appendiculata) are cultivated here. The Globe Daisy (Globularia meridionalis) can be seen in the central part of the rockery. It is a plant with small violet-blue flowers grouped in globular inflorescences. The Encrusted Saxifrage (Saxifraga hostii) can be seen in the northwestern part of the rockery. The edges of its leaves form a low rosette and are encrusted with calcium carbonate. The Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) is a well-known early spring flower. After blooming and the ripening of its fruits, it loses the aerial part of the plant and spends the rest of the year as a dormant rhizome. A rare subspecies of the Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris subsp. laeta), although a marsh plant, has well adapted to the life in the rockery. We also sometimes grow the Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum) here, which is a well known alpine plant and a symbol of mountaineers, but it does not live long in urban conditions. (D. M.) Grafia (Grafia golaka) is a plant from the carrot family (Apiaceae). It got its scientific name after the Golak region in the Slovenian part of the Julian Alps. It is widespread in the southeastern Alps, central Apennines and the western Balkans, all the way to the Prokletije mountain range in Albania. 97

Did you know? Montane grassland plants could thrive in a special alpine greenhouse where the natural conditions of these habitats could be replicated. In winter, high alpine plants live under a snow cover, while in summer they tolerate temperatures that rise above 30°C during the day and drop below 0°C at night.

The Dove or Handkerchief tree (Davidia involucrata var. vilmoriniana, P27a) is one of the ancient species of the northern hemisphere that did not survive the ice ages in America and Europe (unlike the modern ‘glacial relicts’), but was accidentally found ‘safe and sound’ in Chinese mountains. The fascinating story about the discovery of the Dove Tree, which could be a good material for an adventure novel, is not the only thing that is Dove Tree (Davidia involucrata var. fascinating about this species. It is special vilmoriniana) because of its unusual, large, hanging white bracts hiding the spherical flowers. These bracts adorn the tree in late spring, looking like handkerchiefs or doves, hence its common names. The bracts also unveil its kinship with dogwoods (Cornaceae), but, as the only representative of its genus, the Dove Tree is usually classified in a separate family (Davidiaceae), or sometimes in the black gum family (Nyssaceae), which also includes the Chinese Tupelo (Nyssa sinensis, P27). (V. S.)        45

Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica, P17) is one of the oldest trees in the Garden’s collection, but also one of the special ones. In horticulture, it is known as a small tree with a wide crown, although it can grow up to 30 metres tall in its natural habitats in northern Iran. By spontaneous rooting or layering of the lowest branches, it achieves the form we see in the Garden, extending in width more than in height. In the autumn, the leaves change colour: some remain green, while others turn yellow, orange or even red. The petal-less flowers, composed of dark red anthers, are grouped in small inflorescences, and can be seen on        46

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the naked twigs in early spring, which indicates its relationship to plants in the witch-hazel family (Hamamelidaceae), such as witch alders (Fothergilla), witch hazels (Corylopsis spp., Hamamelis spp.), false ironwoods (Parrotiopsis spp.) and Sinowilsonia (Sinowilsonia henryi), which grow on P13, P14 and P16, respectively. (V. S.)

Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica)

The planes (Platanus spp.) comprise about ten species, of which eight are Mexican and North American. The most widely distributed plane tree is a cross between the American (P. occidentalis) and the Oriental Plane (P. orientalis, P16), also known as the London Plane (P. × hispanica, P18). This is the tree that we see in the gardens and avenues of the cities around the world (like Zrinjevac Park in Zagreb), and in various regions, where it is planted for its fast growth, resistance to harsh winters and dry summers, as well as its tolerance of air pollution. It can grow up to 40 metres tall, chaotically spreading its large, thick branches in all directions unless it is regularly pruned and shaped. Our specimens are the tallest trees in the Garden, at about 33 m tall. The large leaves are up to 25 centimetres wide and resemble the leaves of maples, but are easily distinguished from their parental species by their more pronounced lobes in comparison to those of the short-lobed American Plane or the deeply-lobed Asian Plane. Although more attractive than the hybrid, the American Plane is rarely planted

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Asian Plane fruits

The leaves of the three most cultivated plane species 99

outside the southeastern United States because of its sensitivity to spring frost. However, in those areas, it is very important for the forest industry. The Asian Plane, with a native range from the south Balkans to Iran, is quite common in the cities in that region and was already mentioned in literature from the time of the Ancient Persians and Greeks. The Asian Planes growing next to the Trsteno Arboretum near Dubrovnik, which are about 40 metres tall, are considered the world’s tallest, and with a circumference of about 12 metres, the second widest. However, the centuries-old trees recorded in Monte Carlo, Italy, are about 500 years older than the Croatian specimens. (V. S.)

Magnolias (Magnolia spp.) are ancient plants belonging to the primitive family Magnoliaceae. The 120 living species are distributed in two distinct areas of the world, namely East Asia, from the Himalayas to Japan, and North and Central America. Their flowers vary in size and colouration from species to species, but almost all of them have circular perianths of the same shape (sepals and petals having the same shape and colour are called tepals) and a large number of anthers at the bottom of the elongated receptacle, which carries numerous pistils in spiraling rows. Magnolias are evolutionarily older than bees, so it is thought that they were originally pollinated by beetles (Coleoptera). They are divided into three horticultural groups: evergreen magnolias, deciduous magnolias that produce flowers after the leaves, and the deciduous magnolias that flower on naked twigs before the leaves emerge. Among the evergreen species, the most beautiful one is the Southern Magnolia (M. grandiflora, P49), native to the southeastern part of the United States. It has shiny, leathery leaves        48

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Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

The ‘Picture’ cultivar of the Soulange’s Magnolia

and fragrant white flowers, some of which reach up to 30 centimetres in diameter. Among the late-flowering species from the United States, although not particularly ornamental, but very interesting, are the Cucumber Tree (M. acuminata, P13), whose greenish flowers are barely distinguished from its foliage, and the Umbrella Tree (M. tripetala, P13), with leaves growing up to 60 centimetres in length! The most common species in private gardens is the Chinese species called Mulan or Purple Magnolia (M. lilliflora, P40), which blooms with purple flowers from late spring to mid summer. The Japanese shrub species called the Star Magnolia (M. stellata, P13) generally blooms first. It has strap-like, narrow petals. At the beginning of the 20th century, a hybrid was produced by crossing the Star Magnolia and the Japanese Kobushi Magnolia (M. kobus, P40, P17). This hybrid was named Löbner’s Magnolia (M. × loebneri, P15) after the horticulturalist who created it. The cultivars of this hybrid are highly valued. However, the most popular garden and park magnolias are the cultivars of Soulange’s Magnolia (M. × soulangeana), produced in the 19th century by crossing the Mulan Magnolia with the Yulan Magnolia (M. denudata). These are small trees, growing up to 6 metres in height, often with several, branched trunks. Before coming into leaf, they flower abundantly, with large, upright, bell-shaped, fragrant flowers. The flowers, with 8 -10 fleshy tepals (‘petals’), are white on the inside and variously coloured on the outside. The ‘Alba’ cultivar (P39) has almost white flowers, the ‘Rustica Rubra’ (P39) has smaller dark red and pink flowers, the ‘Alexandrina’ (P40) has light violet flowers and the ‘Lennei’ (P13) has dark pink to violet flowers. The ‘Brozzoni’ (P13) has white flowers that are purple-tinged basally on the outside. (V. S.) The American Tulip Tree or Whitewood (Liriodendron tulipifera, P14, P14), originates from the eastern part of the United States, and belongs to the magnolia family (Magnoliaceae), which is part of the ca. 130 million year old group of early angiosperms. The American Tulip Tree is a giant tree that can easily and quickly reach 35 metres in height. It can withstand very low temperatures quite well, but not urban air pollution or        49

American Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) 101

dry summers. Along with its unusual leaves with four (to six) pointed apices, it is mainly distinguished by the long, greenish yellow flowers with an orange stripe near the bottom. They resemble lily flowers or tulips, as indicated by their scientific and common names (Liriodendron or ‘ lily tree’ and tulipifera or ‘tulip bearing tree’). Unfortunately, in mature trees, the flowers often appear only on the highest, most sunlit branches and can only be seen through binoculars! (V. S.) The small western-European phytogeographic section (rockery) was built in 1983. It was envisaged for plants naturally inhabiting the French and Spanish regions facing the Atlantic Ocean. Specimens were brought to the Garden from those regions by former Director of the Botanical Garden, Dr. Sala Ungar. The plants in this rockery Campernelle Jonquil (Narcissus x must be protected during winter, just like odorus), naturalised in the Pyrenees those grown in the Mediterranean rockeries, since they originate from regions with milder climates than the harsh continental climate of Zagreb. As the original plants brought from their natural habitats became senescent over time and disappeared, we have recently tried to regenerate the rockery by planting endemic species of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) obtained through seed exchange from the Index Seminum publication. (D. M.)

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The most interesting species in this little rockery is the endemic and relict Pyrenean Ramonda (Ramonda myconi), an evergreen perennial that blooms in beautiful light violet flowers. It belongs to that family of popular ornamental plants, the Gesneriaceae, which includes African Violets (Saintpaulia spp.) and Gloxinias (Gloxinia spp., Sinningia spp.). 102

Did you know? The flora of the Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal) includes an extraordinary number of endemic species. For example, as many as 60 are found only in the surroundings of Valencia (Spain), while the total number of endemic plant species in Spain is almost 1,200! These temperate species survived because the Pyrenean mountains prevented the glaciations from reaching this area.

Original porcelain labels with plant names from the Botanical Garden collection, ca. 1900 103

Animals Besides the numerous plants, during your tour of the Garden, you will see at least a few animals that have found a temporary shelter or even a permanent home in this peaceful green oasis in the centre of the bustling city. Among the numerous invertebrates, you can see busy earthworms, butterflies, bees and bumblebees buzzing around the plants, but also a number of less desirable ones like slugs and various parasitic insects.

Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)

Most attractive, particularly to our youngest visitors, are the inhabitants of the lakes and ponds. Rare are those who do not stop to enjoy the sight of the goldfish swimming among the aquatic plants. Of the amphibians, the most common are the Green Frogs (Rana esculenta), which jump vigorously into the water if you approach them too closely. The domestic Marsh Turtles (Emys orbicularis) and alien, invasive Red-eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta-elegans) sunbathe on the shores of the lakes and ponds all summer long. Before the winter comes, just like the frogs, they bury themselves in the mud and hibernate until the spring. Common Wall Lizards (Podarcis muralis) and Green Lizards (Podarcis sicula) idle around on the walls and rocks until the first sign of danger, when they scurry to the nearest shelter. Italian Wall Lizard (Podarcis sicula) 104

Birds are the most studied animals in the Botanical Garden. Although most of the visitors see only crows and sparrows, about 90 species of birds have been recorded in the Garden, 45 of which also nest here. If you pay closer attention to certain trees and shrubs, you will see many orifices and holes made by the Lesser Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) Spotted (Dendrocopos minor) and the Great Spotted woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major). Tawny Owls (Strix aluco), Eurasian Blackbirds (Turdus merula), warblers (Sylvia spp.), Nightingales (Luscinia megarynchos), Eurasian Nuthatches (Sitta europaea), tits (Parus spp.), European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and many other songbirds nest in the tree crowns, shrubs and even on the ground. Occasionally, one can see a pair of our largest species of pigeon, the Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), foraging around. The Common Wood Pigeon can easily be recognised by its size, bluish plumage and big white spots on its neck. The most notable occasional visitors to the Garden are the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) and Mallards (Anas platyrynchos), the latter occasionally nest in the Garden and may be seen taking their ducklings for a walk, and so thrilling the children. Many old trees, although they should have been replaced long ago, have been preserved because provide homes for birds and bats. In addition, we have installed a number of nest boxes for the birds.

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) 105

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

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Of course, mammals live in the Garden as well, but we see them less often because they are mostly active at night. During the day, the chances are that you will see cats from the neighborhood, and sometimes a Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). If you stay in the Garden until the evening, you might see bats, hedgehogs or small rodents, such as mice or voles. Please, do not disturb the animals! (D. S., V. S.)

References Alegro, A., Radovinović, R., 2012: Zelenilo u Karlovcu (The Greenery of Karlovac). Zelenilo d.o.o., Karlovac. Baletić, B. (Ed.), 2007: Izložbeni paviljon u Botaničkom vrtu (The Exhibition Pavilion of the Botanical Garden). Text authors: B. Juretić and M. Perušić. University of Zagreb Boršić, I., Milović, M., Dujmović, I., Bogdanović, S., Cigić, P., Rešetnik, I., Nikolić, T., Mitić, B., 2008: Preliminary Check-list of Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAS) in Croatia. Nat. Croat. 17(2): 55–71. Borzan, Ž., 2001: Imenik drveća i grmlja (Index of Trees and Shrubs). Hrvatske šume p. o., Zagreb. Brown, D., 2000: Aroids – Plants of the Arum Family. Timber Press. Callaway, D. J., 1994: The World of Magnolias. Timber Press. Gelderen van, C. J., Gelderen van, D. M., 1999: Maples for Gardens, a Color Encyclopedia. Timber Press. Gledhill, D., 2002: The Names of Plants. Cambridge University Press. Grenfell, D., 2000: The Gardener’s Guide to Growing Hostas. Timber Press. Hamilton, P. A., 1998: The ABCs of Indoor Ficus Trees. Park Place Publications. Houdret, J., 2002: Ljekovito bilje – uzgoj i uporaba (Healing Plants – Cultivation and Use). Dušević and Kršovnik, Rijeka. Idžojtić, M., 2009: Dendrologija – list (Dendrology – Leaf ). University of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry, Zagreb. Johnson, H., 1999: The International Book of Trees. Chancellor Press, London. Juretić, B., Kovačić, S., Mihelj, D., 2002: Mali vodič kroz Botanički vrt Prirodoslovnomatematičkog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu (A Small Guide through the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb). Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb Kovačić, S., Nikolić, T., Ruščić, M., Milović, M., Stamenković, V., Mihelj, D., Jasprica, N., Bogdanović, S., Topić, J., 2008: Flora jadranske obale i otoka – 250 najčešćih vrsta (The Flora of the Adriatic Coast and Islands – 250 Most Frequent Species). Školska knjiga. Kovačić, S., 2009: Trideset zakonom zaštićenih vrsta hrvatske flore u uzgoju Botaničkog vrta PMF-a (The Thirty Statutorily Protected Species of the Croatian Flora Cultivated in the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science). Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb Kutanjac, M. (Ed.), 1990: Moje sobno bilje – Kaktusi (My Indoor Plants – Cactuses). Mladinska knjiga, Ljubljana – Zagreb. Lack, H. W., Baker, W. J., 2011: The World of Palms. Botanisches Museum Berlin – Dahlem. Milač, M. (Ed.), 1989: Moje sobno bilje – Egzotika mesnatica (My Indoor Plants – Succulenta Exotica). Mladinska knjiga, Ljubljana – Zagreb. Nikolić, T., 2013: Sistematska botanika (Systematic Botany). Alfa d. d., Zagreb. Nikolić, T., Kovačić, S., 2008: Flora Medvednice – 250 najčešćih vrsta Zagrebačke gore (The Flora of the Medvednica Mountain – 250 Most Frequent Species of Zagrebačka gora). 543 str. Školska knjiga. Olsen, S., 2007. Encyclopedia of Garden Ferns. Timber Press. Pakenham, T., 2002: Remarkable Trees of the World. The Orion Publishing Group, London. Pakenham, T., 1996: Meetings with Remarkable Trees. Phoenix Illustrated, London. 107

Regula, Lj., 1997: Botanički vrt (The Botanical Garden). Školska knjiga, Zagreb. Rehder, A., 1958: Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs Hardy in North America. The Macmillan Company, New York. Riffle, R. L., Craft, P., 2003: An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Sabovljević, M., Natcheva, R., Dihoru, G., Tsakiri, E., Dragičević, S., Erdağ, A., Papp, B., 2008: Check-list of mosses of SE Europe. Phytol. Balc. 14: 207-244. Sandev, D., Mihelj, D., Kovačić, S., 2013: Meeting Target Eight – Ex Situ Conservation of Croatian Threatened and Statutorily Protected Plant Species in the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb (Croatia). Nat. Croat. 22(2): 343-362. Shear, W., 2002: The Gardener’s Iris Book. The Taunton Press. Skorup, V., Kovačić, S., Kremer, D., Mihelj, D., 2008: Velebitski botanički vrt – oaza na 1500 m (The Velebit Botanical Garden – An Oasis on 1500 m), page 364. Northern Velebit National Park Public Institution. Slocum, P. D., Robinson, P., 1999: Water Gardening, Water Lilies and Lotuses. Timber Press. Speichert, G., Speichert, S., 2004: Encyclopedia of Water Garden Plants. Timber Press. Šugar, I., 2003: Prinosi hrvatskom nazivlju iz biljne sistematike (Contributions to the Croatian Terminology of Plant Systematology). Šumarski list 5-6 (2003): 237-248. Ungar, S., 1963: Vodič kroz Botanički vrt (A Guide through the Botanical Garden). Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb. Ungar, S., 1971: Vodič kroz Botanički vrt (A Guide through the Botanical Garden). Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb. Ungar, S., Regula-Bevilacqua, Lj., 1989: Vodič kroz Botanički vrt (A Guide through the Botanical Garden). Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb. Vidaković, M., 1982: Četinjače – morfologija i raznolikost (Conifers – Morphology and Diversity). JAZU and Sveučilišna naknada Liber, Zagreb. Williams, B. E. (Ed.), 2003: Growing Bromeliads. The Bromeliad Society of Australia, Kangaroo Press. http://botanical.com/ http://en.hortipedia.com/wiki/Main_Page http://hirc.botanic.hr/fcd/Search.aspx http://hirc.botanic.hr/vrt/home.htm www.monumentaltrees.com. www.pfaf.org/user/plantsearch.aspx

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About the authors Biserka Juretić, M.Sc., (B. J.), the longtime Head of the Botanical Garden, has been working at the Garden since 1979. In addition to her managerial responsibilities, she also engages in specialised and popular work. She is in charge of the marsh, insectivorous, medicinal and tropical plant collections, as well as the ornamental flowerbeds in the Garden. She is the co-author of one book and one guide, as well as a number of research and popular articles, symposium abstracts, educational exhibitions, radio and TV features. She is the Head of the Section of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta of the Croatian Botanical Society and the representative of the Botanical Gardens of the Republic of Croatia in the European Botanic Gardens Consortium. Sanja Kovačić, Ph.D., (S. K.), a senior plant collection curator, has been working in the Botanical Garden since 2000. She engages in specialised, scientific and popular work. In the Garden, she is in charge of the Mediterranean rockery, the collections of exotic species in the warm greenhouse and the collection of perennials. She is the author or co-author of about a dozen books and guides, more than 200 specialised, scientific and popular articles, symposium abstracts, radio and TV features, and educational exhibitions. Darko Mihelj, B.Sc., (D. M.), a senior plant collection curator, has been working in the Botanical Garden since 1987. He is the author or co-author of about a hundred scientific and popular papers, symposia abstracts and educational exhibitions. In the Garden, he is in charge of indigenous plant collections cultivated in bio-geographical sections and the succulent collection, as well as for ensuring plants required for teaching and research purposes. Dubravka Sandev, B.Sc., (D. S.), a senior technician, has been working in the Botanical Garden since 2001. She engages in specialised research and scientific work, education of children and young visitors through guided tours of the Garden, workshops on botany, educational exhibitions, etc. In the Garden, she is also in charge of the Children’s Vegetable and Flower Garden, collecting and maintaining the seed collection, germination trials and the regular annual publication of Delectus Seminum. 109

Vanja Stamenković, Ph.D., (V. S.), a senior plant collection curator, has been working in the Botanical Garden since 2003. In the Garden, he is in charge of the dendrological collection, i.e. the trees and shrubs in the arboretum and woody plants in the greenhouses. He is responsible for assessing the static stability of trees, participates in scientific and educational activities organised by the Garden, edits educational and popular publications and the Garden’s website. He is the author or co-author of about fifty scientific and popular papers, radio and TV features, and a number of educational exhibitions.

Authors: Biserka Juretić, M.Sc., (B. J.), Sanja Kovačić, Ph.D., (S. K.), Darko Mihelj, B.Sc., (D. M.), Dubravka Sandev, B.Sc., (D. S.), Vanja Stamenković, Ph.D., (V. S.)

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Contents Welcome! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The History of the Garden . . . . . . . . . 5 Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 A Guide to the Botanical Garden . . . 15 Animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 About the authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

‘Let this petite essay be a Guide to all who visit Royal Botanical Garden with the ambition to acquaint themselves with charming children of the goddess Flora.’ Prof. Antun Heinz (The Royal Botanical Garden in Zagreb, 1896)