Herbarium CAG in Cagliari
The Herbarium Museum in Cagliari is housed in the Department of Life Science and Environmental Studies of the University of Cagliari, in the Botany Section. It was founded along with the Botanical Garden (1866) thanks to Patrizio Gennari’s untiring efforts. Due to the importance of its collections and holdings, it is indexed in the Index Herbariorum as Herbarium CAG and it is part of the Interdepartmental Centre for the University Museums and Historical Archives (CIMCAS). The Herbarium comprises approximately 65,000 exsiccatae of vascular plants as well as algae, bryophytes and fungi. It also includes an unusual collection of galles, also known as Cecidoteca.http://dipartimenti.unica.it/scienzedellavitaedellambiente/ricerca/sezioni/botanica-e-orto-botanico
The area where the Botanical Garden is currently situated was acquired by the University of Cagliari in 1863. The architect Gaetano Cima was appointed to design it; the earthworks started in 1864 under Professor Patrizio Gennari’s supervision. Giovanni Battista Canepa, the appointed gardener of the Botanical Garden in Genoa, also contributed to this project. The official opening took place on 15th November 1866. As founder, Gennari collaborated with the head gardeners to create an Arboretum (or model-garden) so as to ensure that the tropical and exotic plants would adjust to the Sardinian climate. Planting the garden proved to be extremely difficult due to the limited availability of equipment and water (mostly salt water). Despite these drawbacks, the Botanical Garden was completed by the beginning of the 20th century. From 1925 to 1929, Professor Mameli-Calvino was appointed Director. During World War II, the Botanic Garden hosted a cavalry battalion and this led to the partial damage of it collections. Fortunately, its library and herbarium had previously been transferred to deconsecrated church in Ghilarza (in the province of Oristano). During the following years, the new directors contributed to creating, completing and adding new buildings that expanded and enriched the Botanical Garden in Cagliari. These additions include the Garden of Simple Plants (or medicinal plants); the Pampanin Fountain to celebrate Prof. Renato Pampanini, who was director of the Garden from 1930 to 1943; the Tropical Greenhouse; the Biodiversity Rock Garden and the Botanical Museum.
http://www.ortobotanicoitalia.it/
