Home |
Site Map |
Events |
World Travel |
Mexico |
Botanical Gardens of Mexico |
El Herbario
Reader Favorites:
Headlines |
Mexico Books |
Mexico News |
Plants |
Red Mexicana
While not botanical gardens, herbariums in Mexico have become highly valuable resources as storehouses of information regarding the nation's flora -- variety of species, common and scientific names and their location throughout the country. These herbariums -- or collections of dried plants -- are sometimes referred to as libraries ... but with plants instead of books.
Today "El Herbario" -- owned and operated by IMSS' (Social Security
Institute) Coordination for Biomedical Research in Mexico City |
-- is said to be the largest
collection of medicinal plants in all of Latin America. "El Herbario"
boasts some 4,000 species with more than 13,500 specimens.
The species here have been dried via a special process that includes stretching them and placing them between newspapers and cardboard, then pressing them to dry them out thoroughly. Once completely pressed and dried, the plants are placed on display. Each specimen is accompanied by an information card featuring general data including the origin of the plant, family and genus, general distribution across Mexico, who collected the specimen, when and where, etc.
Plant displays often include regional touches, such as the white sapodilla plum,
gordolobo and flor de manita which are displayed in flasks since that is the way
these plants are sold in the local markets where they abound.
"El Herbario" director Abigail Aguilar says "all the plants on display have been collected during field research projects from ecological zones across the country." Most date back to the 1980s and before.
The vast majority of the specimens are kept in specially designed storage drawers. The displays are constantly rotated so as to maximize preservation of the plants.
The plants and specimens on display are not limited to indigenous species, but all have been extant in Mexico for many years. Though not a huge place, the importance of the collection is that it represents a nearly complete index of plants currently in use -- for medicinal /healing purposes -- in Mexico today. The information stored there is of exceptional value and its current caretakers have it well-organized and work hard to make its resources easily accessible.
Experts at "El Herbario" are frequently conducting research projects and
undertaking field work; other services are closely linked to IMSS activities such
as its ongoing ethnobotanical research projects which support the selection of,
collection of and identification of medicinal plants. Researchers are constantly
in the field studying and analyzing specimens and their local usage among
different ethnic groups. They interview local people, especially those who
directly rely upon medicinal plants, such as curanderos (folk healers), yerberos
(herbalists), parteras (midwives) and hueseros (bonesetters).
When necessary, the staff supports the scientific and paramedic communities at IMSS' clinics and hospitals in rural and urban areas with their knowledge of toxic and medicinal properties of plants in cases of poisoning, for instance. Familiarity with the various botanical classifications and medicinal benefits allows them to assist health-care providers in finding antidotes and treatments. This type of information is also readily available from the Herbarium itself.
"El Herbario" also organizes and sponsors courses on botany, guided botanical field tours, shows and workshops. Some of these activites can be organized upon request.
Blanca Robleda de Buckley is a health and culture reporter based in Mexico City.
Eco Travels in Mexico Mexico Travel Directory Healthy Traveling Agriculture Guide
Home |
About |
Advertise! |
Books |
Central America |
Ecotourism |
Headlines
Learn Spanish |
Mexico |
Media |
Site Map |
South America |
World Travel |
Updates