Deserts and Arid, History of Plants - Jardin des Plantes

Here's the second in the series of blog posts regarding the glasshouses at Jardin des Plantes in Paris.

The biggest section of the glasshouses are the plants from the humid tropics and the remaining three sections are much smaller yet still packed with several interesting plants. The arid section is on the same glasshouse as where the humid tropical section is but it along a narrow section that connects the front to back parts of the structure.

It is more like a Desert and Arid corridor...

A skinny Desert and Arid section with a modest selection of xerophytes

Mixed arid plants with overly prominent tags.

Agave filifera (is it about to flower??)

Agave desmettiana

Agave parrasana

That's a bit better!

We loved the form of this Opuntia microdasys

A wide selection of barrel cactus, again the display could have been more engaging to the visitor.

Sulcorebutia steinbachii var. gracilior - tongue twister of a name but I really like this one!

Agave tequilana (?)

We whizzed through this section and just took photos as we passed by, not just because it was comparatively small but also it still lacked the impact of planting as what you'd normally expect in glasshouse specimens. Perhaps this section is newly planted and the plants haven't grown or settled in yet? Newly planted or not they could do with more plants in this area or re-think the planting altogether for more impact.

After passing by this 'dry and white' corridor you go back into the humid tropical section where there is a passageway to get to the New Caledonia section (more of this on the third and final instalment). The last part, which was oddly not connected by glass walkway and is separate from the rest is the History of Plants (Evolution) glasshouse. Small selections of lichens, horsetails, ferns, conifers, and cycads are to be found there, arranged in a way to demonstrate their timeline of appearance on the face of the earth. This section is interesting enough for a ten minute amble. Curiously, this part has a security guard...

The primitive genus that is Equisetum

...and the delicate and fern-like beauty of Selaginella, the spikemosses

Blechnum brasiliense

Fossilised tree trunk

It may be winter outside but it's only autumn inside the glasshouse - Ginkgo biloba leaves

Encephalartos lehmannii

A large Podocarpus salignus at the back

Cyathea robusta

More Equisetum (I wonder if this was deliberate or just spread around...)

Quite a contrast of a post, from dry to moist and lush! On the next and final instalment will be a short yet very interesting glimpse of the plants from New Caledonia.

Mark :-)