The orchidarium of Rio de Janeiro Botanic Garden, Brazil.

摘要

The Rio de Janeiro Botanic Garden, founded by Dom Joao VI in 1808 as an Acclimation Garden for exotic plants, was transformed over nearly two centuries into the Research Institute of the Botanic Garden of Rio de Janeiro (JBRJ). During the administration of the naturalist Joao Barbosa Rodrigues, which began in 1890, the first JBRJ greenhouse was built to shelter all sorts of "indoor" plants. Later it concentrated on the Orchidaceae collection. In 1996, the glasshouse and the area surrounding it were renovated, and since then, the orchid collection has been recovered and restructured with the support of a sponsor. Presently all collection data are filed using the BG-Recorder Computer Program, with a total of 3652 accessions and 4177 registered plants. Although the collection is composed mainly of Brazilian species, with ca. 358 species identified, there are also exotic plants and hybrids. New specimens and species are incorporated in the collection through several floristic surveys. Most of the surveys being developed in the JBRJ are conducted in Conservation Units of Rio de Janeiro State. It is important to note that well-documented institutional collections are essential for effective conservation measures and help taxonomic studies..