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Palm
Collection
The palm collection and extensive landscape of palm that permeate the gardens and becoming world renown, as many overseas visitors, and plant experts or simple palm enthusiasts will attest. There is no one place anywhere in the world where so many species of palms can be seen growing together in one place. This has been verified since NNTG played host to the International Palm Society Biennial in September of 1998, where in over 200 delegates attended, representing 33 different countries and all were of one voice. Indeed it is the main goal of the Director and management of NNTG to continue along this path until the ultimate number of species can be gathered world wide and planted herein. At present there are an estimated 2600-2800 species of palms residing in the world, and of those species, NNTG has approximately 1100 species recorded as growing here. It is beyond our reach to arrive at 2000 species in the forthcoming years
At present the collections of palms that are housed here represent the only known types of some species outside of their country of origin. Subsequently their importance as subjects for study by professional researches and for simple admiration by plant enthusiasts cannot be overstated. With the further advancement of palm studies worldwide, and rapid destruction of forests where palms formerly dwelled, more and more people will come to depend on NNTG as a primary source of palm species for which they would otherwise not be able to see for one reason or another. The idea that NNTG will become a virtual living repository of palms as opposed to any other standard Herbarium has credibility, for the factors of favorable climate, care and maintenance and enthusiasm for collecting palms have conspired to ensure this will inevitably happen. |
