Plant World

The exhibition presents representatives of flora of all geographical regions of the globe. This is the only in Poland such a large botanical display, entirely built of specimens from the Museum of Natural History's Herbarium.

The exhibition presents nearly 500 species of plants, representing all systematic groups, arranged according to the system proposed by the Szweykowskis.

The diversity of the world is shown upon examples starting from algae through fungi, lichens, bryophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms to endogens. Apart from the plant specimens, provided with information on their taxonomic position and occurrence, each family of cryptogamic plants is illustrated with a coloured plate of its flower scheme. Owing to that, the exhibition does not only have purely cognitive and aesthetic value, but it can also be very helpful for educational programmes concerned with botany.

Among the most precious and interesting exhibits, the following can be ranked: a collection of cones of phanerogamic plants, trunks of Welwitschia mirabilis and the sago palm, and a small collection of palms (e.g. fruit of Lodoicea sechellarum). Besides species names, a considerable part of the objects on display are supplied with a number which refers the visitor to brief explanation in the guide to the exhibition prepared by Dr Wanda Stojanowska. This explanation, apart from basic data concerning morphology and taxonomy, includes numerous curious details and supplementary information.