Manual for growing ferns is available to the public

Written by researcher Claudine Massi Mynssen, coordinator of the Professional Graduate Program in Biodiversity at the National School of Tropical Botany/JBRJ, and journalist Marcela Bial, the “Manual for growing ferns in botanical gardens” is available to the public on the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden website. To access the e-book, just click here

The manual was developed for fern collections in botanical gardens, but can also be used by landscapers and collectors. The main objective of the work is to address collections in botanical gardens, the importance of ex situ collection, its characteristics, and maintenance challenges. The manual covers collection techniques, cultivation, seedling production, irrigation, and database maintenance.

Currently, the ferns and lycophytes of the Rio Botanical Garden total 101 species, belonging to 47 genera and 24 families. Most are gathered in two greenhouses, Mestre Valentim and Sombra do Horto Florestal, which contain 70% of the Garden's species. The rest are found in the arboretum. Among the cultivated species, there are five at risk of extinction: Adiantum mynsseniae, Dicksonia sellowiana, Anemia blechnoides, Doryopteris rediviva, and Pteris congesta.

The Sombra do Horto Florestal greenhouse is where the scientific collection is located and is not open to visitors. In the Mestre Valentim greenhouse, the plants are on display to visitors.