The Reopening of the Glasshouses of the Jardin des Plantes

A journey to the very heart of biodiversity

JaRdin des PlanTes57, rue cuvier - paris ve

www.mnhn.fr

© Manuel Cohen

Muséum national d’Histoire naturelleJardin des plantes - 57, rue cuvier, paris ve

Open: everyday, except Tuesdays and 1st MayOpening times: 10am to 5pm in winter, 10am to 6.30pm in summer Prices: adults, children (between 4 and 14 years old), free for children under 4access: the glasshouses can be accessed by visitors with reduced mobility and there is also assistance throughout the museography for the visually impaired or hard of hearing and mediation for the mentally disabled.information for the public: call +33 1 40 79 54 79 / 56 01school groups: information can be obtained from: +33 1 40 79 36 00site : www.mnhn.fr

Communication Fanny DecOBerT - call +33 1 40 79 54 44

Press contactagence OBservaTOireaurélie LaNDeT - call +33 1 43 54 87 71 - aurelie@observatoire.fr

Muséum national d’Histoire naturellecécile BrissauD - call +33 1 40 79 80 75brissaud@mnhn.frestelle MercerON - call +33 1 40 79 54 40 presse@mnhn.fr

Press photos www.mnhn.fr click on press, then “royalty free photographs“access code “presse2010 “ to download the photos.www.observatoire.frLogin: press - password: duvernet

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Biodiversity makes the world go round. A network made up of millions of species, microbes, plants and animals – including humans. Every single one is different and unique. In this interactive chain, there are some that eat others, because this is how life goes on. But there is also cooperation and mutual aid between individuals and species. Then there are lichens which result from an intimate association, a symbiosis, between seaweed and fungus. And our trees, would they be as magnificent without the filamentous fungi that settle in their roots and give them valuable nutrients? And us human beings, don’t we stand to gain from this rich natural diversity? Think of the corn, rice, potatoes, cows and sheep which feed us – these are all products of biodiversity. As are the cotton, wool, leather which dress us. And the things that cure us…penicillin, aspirin or quinine: once again, these are also the fruits of biodiversity! So, let us join forces with nature, protect her: let us not forget, our future depends on it – and, even more so, the future of our children. Professeur Robert BARBAULT

Head of the department of ecology and management of biodiversity at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle.

« Un éléphant dans un jeu de quilles: l’Homme dans la biodiversité ». Éditions du Seuil, Paris, 2006.

At the heart of the Jardin des Plantes, the renovated, redeveloped glasshouses provide you with a great opportunity to get away from it all.© Manuel Cohen

« At one with nature »

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suMMaRy

a. a challenge for the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle6 1. a technical issue7 2. an historical and botanical issue7 3. a scientific and educational issue

B. Offering something new to the public8 1. immersion in nature throughout the seasons8 2. a walk accessible to all 8 3. Historical and architectural heritage8 4. a new approach to the world of vegetation

C. The scenography and its landmarks10 1. a complete journey10 2. a subtle museography10 3. an “intelligent” liana 10 4. also shows the invisible

d. Presentation of the four glasshouses13 1. The tropical rainforest glasshouse16 2. The desert and arid land glasshouse19 3. The New caledonia glasshouse22 4. The plant History glasshouse

e. annexes24 1. Let’s talk about botany: some important terms 25 2. The history of glasshouses26 3. Bibliography27 4. about glasshouses28 5. press photos29 6. scientific committee 30 7. partners

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The entirely renovated and redeveloped glasshouses will open their doors again to the public in May 2010. carrying out restoration work to its historical structures was of vital importance and required a lot of energy and investment. While maintaining its magic and its potential as a place to get away from it all, the renovation – added to a redesigned museography, some new plantations and plant displays – enables us to incorporate the most up to date knowledge regarding plants and current concerns, and to make our public aware of the fragile nature of the environment and the current issues concerning its preservation.

Four glasshouses are now open to the public:

the tropical rainforest glasshouse

the desert and arid land glasshouse

the new Caledonia glasshouse

the plant History glasshouse

This is where we see an imaginary kind of nature where plants from all four corners of the world live side-by-side. a type of nature which is in fact very real because plants grow in the earth here and can be seen very close up. This ‘rendez-vous’ with the plant world, life’s oldest laboratory, is both poetic and scientific at the same time.

This is where we discover plant biodiversity in its abundance or rarity among the many and surprising aspects of its adaption to different terrestrial environments.

The Reopening of the Glasshouses of the Jardin des PlantesA journey to the very heart of biodiversity

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a. The reopening of the glasshouses: a challenge for the museum

The reopening of the glasshouses has got architects, scenographers, mediators, pedagogical, scientific and garden experts involved, as well as associations specialised in working with disabilities. For the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, this has represented a major challenge in terms of several issues.

1. a technical issueThe glasshouses are classified buildings with both historic and fragile structures. They suffer from differences in temperature and are affected by humidity. They have been renovated but never quite to the degree that began in June 2005. The renovation and new interior fittings were carried out while taking into consideration the necessary factors imposed by World Heritage status and the desire to make the buildings accessible to the public.

The work carried out has allowed us to restore the original appearance of the buildings while modernising them at the same time. Both the exterior and the interior were restored and redesigned, meaning that the buildings had to be closed to the public and the plants moved. The unwieldy objects that could not be moved bravely survived the renovation work. The renovation of the corroded metallic structures and the restoration of water tightness have therefore formed part of the basic renovation works. The electrical installations, hea-ting, lighting, sprayers for recreating the tropical atmosphere of the grand glasshouse, the restoration of the interior decorations of the forepart and the original lighting (blue farm lighting) provide the museum with a new display point at the heart of the Jardin des plantes, saving its heritage while giving it a new mission.

Four glasshouses are now open to visitors - for a journey to the heart of biodiversity throughout the seasons. .© Patrick Lafaite / MNHN

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2. an historical and botanical issuepreserving the glasshouses also means reviving the utopia of the great botanists of the Jardin des plantes and feeding the gardener’s fantasies: making plants that originate from different latitudes grow, recreating a substrate for them, i.e. a soil that is close to that of their own natural environment and maintaining adequate temperature and humidity conditions. This is a permanent challenge for the six gardeners who look after the glasshouses because nothing is given in advance: after all, nature - even under glass - can either be capricious or generous.

3. a scientific and educational issue The glasshouses offer more than just immersion in the world of plants. each opens up to a fully-fledged universe, both visually and scientifically, revealing a different approach to plant diversity. in the Tropical rainforest glasshouse, the visitor is plunged into an environment of exceptional density in which the plants tell of their functions and their purpose. in the desert and arid land glasshouse, we can see plant groups with amazing faculties of adaptation. in the New caledonia glasshouse, we pass a range of environments and landscapes before the scope of observation broadens to the scale of the geological periods of the history of the earth in the plant History glasshouse.Finally, in celebration of the international Year of Biodiversity, the glasshouses are also places that raise awareness of the diversity of plant life in an exemplary way, not just of the beauty of plants but also their fragility. Without plants, life would not be possible for humans which are closely interrelated to the plant world by thousands of years of cohabitation – something that the scenography of the glasshouses prominently displays.

The glasshouses are listed buildings that form part of the garden’s history. Print taken from “Muséum d’histoire naturelle. Serres chaudes” Charles Rohault De Fleury – Paris, 1837

The selaginellales in the plant History glasshouse where we learn about the long and fascinating evolution of the plant life for the first time.© Denis Larpin / MNHN

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B. new for the public

at the heart of the Jardin des Plantes, the glasshouses give the public the opportunity not only to immerge themselves in nature whatever the season in the elegant surroundings, but also to enter into the botanical world, and to both get to know plants and preserve them better.

1. nature to be enjoyed in all seasonsThe reopening of the four glasshouses offers an exotic journey into a nature that is almost indifferent to seasons. a nature under glass which is given particular care, certain species originating from far away appear as beautiful and unusual strangers. The marvel is not just at the exoticism but also at the proximity of the plants and the discovery of their hidden sides.

2. a walk accessible to all members of the publicThe renovation work (widening of the paths, installation of two lifts, selection of informative add-ons) and the scenography has made the glasshouses accessible to persons with reduced mobility, the visually impaired, the hard of hearing and those with learning difficulties through mediation.

3. a historical and architectural heritageWhen we enter the glasshouses, we enter into the heritage of the Jardin des plantes. The current structures are the heirs of a history that began in the seventeenth century at the time of the Jardin du roy when the botanists, in their permanent search for new plant life to study, were faced with the need to preserve subjects brought back home from far away expeditions which were ill-adapted to the harsh conditions of parisian winters.

The plant History glasshouse, the final stage of the visit, adjoins the curved glasshouses which serve the nurseries.© Manuel Cohen

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The first glasshouse was built in 1714, followed by several construction, extension, demolition and reconstruction phases (see history, page 24). Glass constructions which cater for the passions of botanists, the glasshouses are also bold architectural accomplishments deserving of their classification as historical monuments. Throughout the centuries, the garden’s managers and architects have always been committed to technical innovations for improved temperature and humidity control and preservation of the fragile and precious subjects. Their names pay homage to their creators. The two pavilions (today the New caledonia glasshouse and the plant History glasshouse), called the rohault de Fleury glasshouses in honour of their architect, were built in the 19th century, and were very much true prototypes of their time.The biggest and highest was built in the 1930s by rené Berger, it was called the Winter Garden and is known today as the Tropical rainforest glasshouse. it has art deco style elegance.

4. a new approach to the world of vegetation The glasshouses of the Jardin des plantes have an essentially educational purpose (the reference collections and collections with scientific and conservation goals are cultivated in the tropical glasshouses of the arboretum de chèvreloup, near versailles). The botanical journey offered by the glasshouses is an opportunity to travel to different biomes* and to discover the unique diversity of the plant world. a diversity which is even more discernible in the glasshouses by the evocation of very contrasting environments: the abounding tropical forests, the arid zones’ lack of water, particularly the New caledonia with its specific flora, resulting from long term isolation. The current biodiversity can be explained by the evolution of plants (one glasshouse is dedicated to this), but also by the former isolation of certain islands (New-caledonia), or by the adaption to extreme restrictions (lack of water).

During the XIX century, the first glass and metal glasshouses in the world were erected at the Jardin des Plantes.© Manuel Cohen

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C. The scenography and its landmarks

1. a complete journeyThe glasshouses should be visited one after the other: we enter via the great Tropical rainforest glasshouse and, with a striking contrasting effect, we walk into the adjoining gallery dedicated to desert environments. after this, we climb the stairs of the grand rock until we reach the New caledonia glasshouse and we go past it again from the outside to get to the plant History glasshouse. each glasshouse has double entry security doors where there are extracts of films of landscapes and atmospheres, preparing the visit.

2. a subtle museography The scenography of the glasshouses is designed to both amaze and allow intelligent observation of plant life at the same time. The communication and information systems are intended for families, children and all members of the public, particular attention is paid to disabled visitors. Botanical signs, wall texts and labels provide information about the plants and environments presented. in addition to this classic approach, interactive and playful elements can also be found in the airlock security entrance and the desert glasshouse.

3. an “intelligent” liana visitor guide This steel ribbon with a tropical creeper-inspired shape is called a liana tortoise. This is actually a list of contents and a guiding thread to give more information to visitors who require it or to simply serve as an extra visual attraction for those who don’t (a natural vanilla aroma molecule with cocoa beans hidden in its cocoa pod).informative focal points are distributed along the liana in the form of mandalas and satellites which mark the important points of the visit, emphasising the thematic pathway. The mandalas are the list of contents (visuals and texts), the satellites are images and the manipulations allow a more playful approach: leaflets, sound boxes, smells, samples, history, microscopes.

4. Making the invisible visible……the flowers that we don’t see, the landscapes of the past. in the New caledonia glasshouse, in order to make us think of plants in a different way, films present their followed and accele-rated growth in a large scale format using state-of-the-art technology.in the plant History glasshouse, to recall nature as it was hundreds of million of years ago, the designed landscapes translate the work of scientists in a very artistic synthesis.

The landscapes of the plant History glasshouse (detail). © Jeane Montano / MNHN

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d. The four glasshouses

1. The tropical rainforest glasshouse. all the richness and diversity of plant life

“Precious tropical forests. These green cathedrals – these tropical forest ecosystems – are both high points for biodiversity and hot points for the threats that our appetite for space and resources pose More than half of our living species can be found on just 7 % of our land: a mere hectare of tropical forest can contain more than 400 species of different trees! In the field and in the mountain, from the Amazon Rainforest to Indonesia, passing by west and central Africa, these ecosystems which hold thousands of epiphytic plants and their rich, specialised fauna are the last refuges of our cousins, the great apes, as they are for tigers, ocelots and other jaguars. They are also the last refuges and the fabric of the culture for many indigenous populations. Tropical forests are complex, organised systems that are essential to the physiology of our entire planet: they are irreplaceable and no one is capable of reinventing them. Moreover, the twentieth century has seen their numbers drop significantly and their eradication continues with almost general indifference despite the activities of many associations and initiatives such as the regulation of the trading of tropical wood. We have to learn to get to know them, understand them, and to love them. Perhaps if we acquaint ourselves with them, we would then want to protect them properly: they are the cathedrals of nature, the guarantors of our future.”

Robert BarbaultHead of the department of ecology and management

of biodiversity at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle.

From left to right: A palm tree in fruit .© Denis Larpin / MNHN - Prickly pear in flower (Opuntia). © Denis Larpin / MNHN - Proteaceae in flower. © Corinne Sarthou / MNHNSelaginella. © Denis Larpin / MNHN

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We enter… through a superb peristyle art deco.• Built between 1935 and 1936, the tropical rainforest glasshouse is majestic with its fountain and imposing hollow concrete rock in a cubist shape. its great dimensions mean it can hold the tallest of objects. • as the visit starts off with the glasshouse, an immediate change of scenery occurs with immersion into the hot and humid atmosphere of an imaginary tropical forest. We wind along the alleys in the middle of the ficus, palm trees, banana trees and other inhabitants of these forests, we lean up close towards botanical labels for an introduction, we crane our necks to see the top of the tallest trees, we climb a rock with inner walls covered in a superb Monstera deliciosa - a type of philodendron - to discover the complete panorama of the glasshouse.

We see…the beautiful plant density of the tropical forests in which all of the strata are filled. • The great glasshouse provides a habitat for plants which benefit from optimal heat and humidity conditions in nature. The planted plant life – originally from africa, central america, south america south east asia, australia and the pacific isles come from areas of the world with equatorial and tropical humid climates. • all “types” of plant life are presented: tall trees, such as ficus and Bermuda palm trees, small trees, shrubs and small trees, big herbaceous varieties such as banana trees, small underbrush grasses, lianas such as the pepper and epiphyte plants* and lots of ferns and orchids. The majority of the tall plants were already rooted in the glasshouse and some trees are more than 30 years old. The floral diversity of the glasshouse has also been significantly enriched particularly in the underbrush.

We learn…the forest does not exist as a single entity, it is instead lived in, useful and fragile.• plants, humans and animals live at the heart of the ecosystem*. some plants are extremely useful to human beings. under the canopy (the top of the highest trees), some plants develop some clever strategies to reach or make the most of the light.

Renovated identically, the art deco entrance of the great glasshouse, built in the 1930s by René Berger, Head architect of the museum.Fountain detail on the right.© Manuel Cohen

The rock at the heart of the great glasshouse. © François-Gilles Grandin MNHN

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THE COFFEE PLANTor Coffea Arabica, belonging to the Rubiaceae plant family.

The coffee plant is one of the most well-known that is useful to man – each day, humans consume millions of cups of coffee. There are many species of coffee plant, however, on a global scale there are three that are mainly cultivated: Coffea arabica and its numerous varieties, Coffea canephora (robusta coffee) and Coffea liberica. We derive the precious seeds from fruits called cherries.its geographical origin: the east african forests.its uses: for food, aromas, and medicinal purposes. Known as a remedy and a “drug” for a long time in arabia, coffee contains hundreds of chemical components and a principal active element – caffeine - which delays fatigue, stimulates the heart and respiratory rate and digestion. after petrol, it is the second most valuable product on the world market today and a true source of wealth for many tropical countries. arabica provides 80 % of worldwide production. it tastes better if it contains less caffeine than robusta.

Three pathways allowing us to acquaint ourselves with this infinitely rich environment.

a. What is the tropical forest like? a vertical structure with tall objects that cast a shadow over the underbrush plants. even if the glasshouse is an artificial environment, this is where we recount forest life and its natural regeneration, evoking this through the dead branches and trunks on the ground (after they have fallen) which form a «chablis”, i.e. a gap in the forest which will be recovered by vegetation from the environment and by pioneer plants resulting from the seeds blown by the wind or by frugivorous animals.

b. How certain plants adapt to the shadowy light in the underbrush or compete for the light, such as the lianas which can anchor themselves, tendrils, hooks or epiphytic plants that, without anchoring themselves to the ground, position themselves in the branches of tall trees. These plants feed themselves by capturing atmospheric water by their leaves or roots and the nutrients in the humus retained on the supporting tree which composes of true “suspended soil”.

c. What kind of plants do we find in the forest which are useful for man? a great variety of plants linked to food, medicine, dyes, textiles, cosmetic purposes, not to mention those that are used in perfumes, craft industry, construction, heating and consecrations. The “plant resources” pathway emphasises, amongst others: the banana tree, the coffee plant, the kapok tree, vanilla, the Madagascar periwinkle, the mahogany tree, the cocoa tree and pepper.

The epiphyte plants are not anchored to the soil; they live in high trees suspended from the canopy (epiphyte orchids). © Jean-Noël Labat / MNHN

© Denis Larpin/MNHN

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Différentes formes d’adaptation à la sécheresse : les réserves d’eau des plantes succulentes, les duvets pour limiter l’évaporation. © Denis Larpin/MNHN

2. The desert and arid land glasshousein the kingdom of strange shapes and textures

We enter… by the tropical rainforest glasshouse.• a water garden is displayed in the adjoining long gallery. The gallery has been completely dis-sembled, restored, reglazed and redeveloped. Dedicated to the adaption of plants to dryness in different regions of the world, the exposition is arranged in a linear way, allowing close up observation of the shapes and textures.

We see… plants from arid environments (i.e. receiving less than 300 mm rainfall each year).• plants from the us and Mexican deserts; the andes; south africa; Madagascar; sahara; the arabian peninsula; australia; certain islands. The plants partially come from the former glasshouse, called the “Mexican” glasshouse and the collections of the arboretum de chèvreloup. acquiring these plants was necessary to illustrate some particular cases.• The glasshouse presents five plant scenes, the plants are regrouped according to their type of adaption to this environment, i.e. according to their strategy for resisting the lack or rarity of water. as many strange geometric shapes with varied textures provide a source of amazement: plants in the shape of balls or cereus, plants with thorns, down or hair on their leaves, plants with leaves and succulent stems (filled with water).

We learn…how the plants have made impressive morphological adaptations to the dry conditions and how life is able to adapt to battle and triumph against the most unfavourable conditions;• how they search water from where it can be found, thanks to a double system of superficial and deep roots; • how they store water. There are some plants which store water in specific tissue called succulent plants. examples of these are cactuses or other plants with bulging trunks. For these plants, stems serve as true water tanks; • how they save water by limiting loss from evaporation. This is done by slowing down transpiration through smaller size leaves or waxy skin (euphorbia, jojoba, and ocotillo) or specific shapes: the ball shape perfect for this;• how they protect themselves by living in the shade or being buried in the ground (for example, semi-buried pebble plants and window plants conduct light by the “windows” to their chlorophyll producing parts which are situated under the ground because it is a little colder there);• how they reduce their life cycle, are short-lived, only develop a vegetative and reproductive system if it rains, and spend dry periods in the form of seeds; • some plants are resistant to fire and salt – they develop particular strategies for this which are similar to those used for lack of water.

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SuCCuLENCEan excellent response to arid conditions

succulent plants (from the Latin succus, juice) also known as succulents or fat plants, have water reserves in leaves, stems or roots. after rare wet spells, the cells are gorged with water which is then used during the long periods of draught. cactuses are a perfect example of this. There are about 2000 species in the cactus family. all of the cactuses are endemic to the american continent. Found between canada and the Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire), they are fully adapted to extreme arid, cold or torrid conditions. Whether cereus, candelabras, balls, prickly pears, shrubs, epiphytes, lianas or creepers, they often have iridescent flowers, some of which can only be seen in the dark. some have a cylindrical shape meaning they can store up to several tons of water, such as the giant cereus from arizona or Mexico.

Ball cactus.© Denis Larpin / MNHN

A rosette of leaves (Agaves). © Denis Larpin / MNHN Cactus peruvianus.© Denis Larpin / MNHN

© Denis Larpin/MNHN

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3. The new Caledonia glasshouse and its unique flora

We enter… by the tropical rainforest glasshouse. • pavilion built by charles rohault de Fleury, it forewent its title of “Mexican glasshouse” in favour of a new name.

We see……plants from New caledonia – as we might expect from the name. The vast majority of the plants had to be acquired and acclimatised. very few plants formed part of the former collection with the exception of some of the araucarias. • New caledonia is introduced in the airlock security entrance before entering the glasshouse. This is where we discover its geography, its natural and cultural richness and its history. • The very specific diversity of this flora is presented through five environments: the humid forest, the dry forest – the extremely threatened environment – maquis minier, the savanna and the mangrove. in each environment a number of plants – rare, endemic, original for their capacities of adaptation, or useful for mankind – are commented on.

We learn…• that living beings which inhabit ground that has been isolated for a very long time are specialised to the extreme. They are endemic, i.e. specific to this territory (area, region). a relic of the former continent called Gondwana from which it separated, as it did from the other islands of the pacific south. 70 million years ago, New caledonia set sail and diversified as it slowly drifted, a Noah’s arc for the flora of this distant era. • that new Caledonia is an eldorado both for its wealth of plant species with a unique character as well as for its great scientific interest. Despite its small surface area, New caledonia has 76 % of endemic plants, i.e. those that do not exist anywhere else, placing this island group in third position behind Hawaii and New Zealand.some of the environments in New caledonia are the reserved domain of amazing, rare and superb plants which are sometimes useful to the local populations. in the dry forest, for exam-ple, the magnificent bindweed, liana with red flowers (Turbina inopinata), the captaincookia (or Ixora margaretae), named after captain James cook who discovered the island group in 1774: a very rare tree with spectacular red flowers (which even grow on the trunk). We also find the precious New caledonia sandalwood (Santalum austrocaledonicum), which also inhabits other environments and from which we extract a precious essence and even an endemic rice (Oryza neocaledonica).

Detail of the structure of the New Caledonia glasshouse, the island group with unique flora.© Manuel CohenExample of an endemic carnivorous plant. .© Jean-Noël Labat / MNHN

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in the maquis, there are a number of endemics with iridescent flowers such as the myrtaceae and the proteaceae and even some species which can detoxify soil by accumulating nickel, for example. in the humid forest there are also a high number of endemics, such as the immense arborescent fern Cyathea intermedia, lots of araucarias and other tropical conifers.in New caledonia, we find many groups of plants with very old origins, representing the basic branches on the genealogical tree of the vegetable kingdom. For over one and a half centu-ries, botanists have collected this flora which is going to enrich the herbarium of the museum during their missions. Today they still study the parts of New caledonia that have been little explored or revisit better known areas to make an inventory and to enrich their knowledge of the flora and environments. • that new Caledonia’s treasures of are very fragile. New caledonia is a worldwide hot spot for biodiversity, i.e. a zone where plant diversity is exceptional, but also very much under threat. Lots of species are micro endemics (some palm trees or araucarias, for example) that only live in some of the very concentrated areas of the island group. There are many threats (fire, mining, urbanisation, introduced deer that are fond of the plants…) for which protection and control programmes need to be set up for these species and environments.

4. la serre de l’Histoire des plantes, une aventure

Îles Bélep

Mer de Corail

OuvéaProvince

des Îles LoyautéProvince

nord

Provincesud

Lifou

Tiga

Maré

Île des Pins

Nouméa

LA VÉGÉTATION DE LA NOUVELLE-CALÉDONIEMangroveForêt humide Forêt sècheMaquis minierSavane à niaoulis

Fayaoué

Tadine

La FoaBourail

Koumac

Koné

Poindimié

Houaïlou

Thio

HienghèneWé

THE dry FOrEST, an extremely vulnerable environment

Made up of shrubs and lianas adapted to the dry conditions, the dry forest or sclerophyll* does not receive more than 1100 mm in rainfall each year. Originally much vaster, this extremely vulnerable forest spreads between 0 and 300 m altitude over the west coast of New caledonia where it covers no more than 50 km2, i.e. 1 % of its initial surface area. a conservation programme is under development to safeguard, restore and develop its strips of surprising forests with rich plant life. 456 indigenous species and 262 endemic New caledonian species have been found – 60 of the latter live exclusively in the dry forest. The shrub, pittosporum tanianum, which had once been declared extinct, was rediscovered in 2002 and is the object of great attention today. The dry forest also shelters fauna that is yet to be properly discovered including many endemic species.extract from “Nouvelle-calédonie Terre de Corail” Nov 2008.

Mangrove (roots of the mangroves). © Corinne Sarthou / MNHN

Humid forest (arborescent fern). © Corinne Sarthou / MNHN

The different natural environments of New Caledonia. © Maison de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, Paris.

Maquis minier. © Jean-Noël Labat / MNHN

Paperback tree savanne (white bark trunks). © Corinne Sarthou / MNHN

Dry forest (Captaincookia margaretae/current name - Ixora). © Jean-Noël Labat / MNHN

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4. The plant History glasshouse, an adventure that continues up to the flowers

We enter… from the outside because it is separated from the New caledonia glasshouse. it is the second pavilion constructed by rohault de Fleury, which could not previously be visited.

We see…• some modern representatives of plant groups that used to exist, (lycopodiopsida, horsetails, ferns, cycas, conifers, primitive angiosperms…) some fossil pieces and some reconstructions of extinct plant life, presented in twelve scenes, five of which illustrate a major innovation in the evolutionary history of the plants during the palaeozoic era and the Mesozoic era (between - 540 and - 65 million years). • using a chronological pathway, the aim is to make the visitor understand that the plants also have a history – a history of adaptation to changing environments, from leaving water to the emergence of flowers.

We learn…• that the history of terrestrial plants goes back at least 430 million years, we need plants so that the terrestrial atmosphere can appear and so that animal life can develop. • that the evolution of plants is not linear. The classification of the plant life which is sometimes difficult to understand is today based on their relations (phylogenetics). current plants actually have diverse, ancient or recent origins. apparent in diverse groups of fossils, they are the living witnesses of this evolution.• originally plants lived and reproduced in the aquatic environment: they had no need for stems to stand up as the water carried them, nor did they need vessels to nourish their extremities and insects for pollinisation. When plants left the water, conquering new spaces, they superimposed themselves on hundreds of years of different reproductive processes involving: spores, ovules, pollens and seeds. • that this adventure must be seen up close and it continues in the aisles.The leaflet that is distributed at the entrance helps the visitor to relocate the Jardin des plantes by listing all of its trees (notably the flowering plants!) that he/she can continue to see there throughout the seasons.

FIVE MAJOr SCENES, of the history of plants

The Palaeozoic era 1. From bare ground to the first forests (silurien) 2. The development of foliage: the ferns of the carboniferous period 3. The ovule: the innovation at the origin of current plant diversity 4. From the ovule to the seed: the first conifers The Mesozoic era 5. The invention of the flower and the fruit: the first angiosperms

The ferns in the plant History glasshouse. © Manuel Cohen

Cordaites fossiles (an extinct group close to conifers).© Denis Larpin/MNHN

Prêles © Denis Larpin/MNHN

Selaginella (a current group close to ferns) © Denis Larpin/MNHN

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e. anneXes

1. let’s talk about botany – some important terms:

The topics covered in the different glasshouses offer you the chance to enrich your vocabulary with some useful terminology. The plants live in natural environments: biotopes, ecosystems, different biomes and environments transformed by human activity.

a BiOTOPe: an environment characterised by homogeneous and stable geological, geographical and climatological conditions (earth, water, air, temperature, light).

an eCOsysTeM: a unity formed by a community of living beings (the BiOcOeNOsis), linked together and linked by the physical conditions of the environment (ground, water, nutrients, etc. i.e. a BiOTOpe). it is thus the interaction between the biotic and abiotic factors. The ecosystems are of different scales: for example, a dead trunk, a pond, a rock covered with moss and other plants, or a lake, a peat bog or a region, a watershed, a river, or even a macro-ecosystem such as the sea, an ocean, a savanna, a big forest, a massif etc.

a BiOMe: a vast territory (on a regional or continental scale) characterised by a particular climate and other environmental conditions (ecological conditions) and living beings that are adapted to it (flora and fauna). it can be made up of several different ecosystems. some examples of biomes: humid tropical forests, the mangroves, tundra, steppe, etc.

an environment TRansFORMed By HuMan aCTiViTy: a natural environment transformed by man’s actions (not necessarily damaged): a cultivated field, a planted forest, a meadow or even secondary forests or savannas after forest fires, etc.

endeMisM: This term applies to plant or animal species (or their populations) whose range or distribution is limited to a particular zone (cactuses and endemic agaves from the american continent, the Galápagos giant tortoise which is endemic to the island group, the Latanier rouge, an endemic palm tree from la réunion, the Araucaria schmidii, endemic to a mountain summit in New caledonia).

From left to right: banana tree flower © O.Borderie / MNHN, underbrush plants © Denis Larpin / MNHN, freycinetia, flowering plant © Jean-Noël Labat / MNHN, a rosette of leaves (Agaves) © Denis Larpin / MNHN

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2. a glimpse of history

The glasshouses have formed part of the history and the landscape of the Jardin des Plantes since the 17th century. Here are some of the landmarks in the saga of the glasshouses.

From the 17th Century … orangeries and glasshouses made from wood and glass.Orange trees are the first fragile plants that we tried to preserve in the Jardin royal. To protect the jelly, we built what we call orangeries, non public utility buildings. The first glasshouses made from wood and glass appeared in the 17th century. The aim of this was, however, of a more scientific nature – this was intended to preserve and acclimatise botanical collections and rare plants which the natural scientists brought back from their exploratory travels.

The oldest glasshouse was built by sébastien Vaillant in 1714, which housed a coffee plant sent to Louis Xiv. Over the years, further glasshouses were built by the managers of the garden, among whom Buffon, the most famous of them all, built temperate glasshouses in 1788.

The beginning of the 19th century… the garden is fitted with the first large glasshouses made from glass and metal in the world. a technical revolution: the use of glass and particularly metal meant is was possible to build more solid structures, allowing more efficient isolation for the plants needing constant heat. The glasshouse that philibert built in 1821, the hottest one, was intended to house plants from india and cayenne.in addition, technical advances made the conception of true architectural show pieces pos-sible. in 1833, credit was attributed to the museum for its new constructions and for its purchasing of land. Charles Rohault de Fleury, the museum architect, went to england to study the system used there to construct heated glasshouses, particularly in Kew. On his return to France, between 1834 and 1836, he built two square, tall glasshouses with windows which were heated by the vapour produced by a boiler and diffused by pipes. The oriental pavilion – which would later be named the “Mexican glasshouse” held eucalyptus, dragon trees, and mimosas. it was decorated with passion flowers and other creepers. The western pavilion where temperatures are at their highest – originally called the pavilion of palm trees and later renamed the australian glasshouse – welcomes bamboos, palm trees, vanilla, sugar cane, banana trees, date palms and arborescent ferns. it includes a pond with water lilies decorated with a nymph sculpted by Brion.

Print taken from “Album du Jardin des plantes de Paris “Acarie-Baron. Paris,

Angé, 1838

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These buildings – which were the first prototypes for modern glasshouses – are among the most important innovations in metal architecture. They were the first glasshouses in the world of their size to be built in glass and metal. charles rohault de Fleury’s project crystallised the formation and location of the current buildings.

a few problems… the Franco-prussian War, particularly the bombing of January 1871 du-ring which damage was caused to the glasshouses. They were later restored in 1874 with a few minor modifications. The technological innovations of the era also enabled rohault de Fleury to build curved glasshouses in place of the former Buffon and Bernardin de saint pierre glasshouses.

The winter gardens From the second half of the 19th century onwards, technological developments gave birth to a new type of building: the winter garden. This is where plants are directly planted in the open ground. The museum’s first winter garden was set up by Jules andré between 1881 and 1889, it was demolished and the current winter garden ( the tropical rainforest glasshouse) was built on its foundations. The construction of this between 1935 and 1936 was led by rené Berger, (1878-1954), Head architect of the museum since 1933 and creator of the new wild cat house in the menagerie in 1937. The art deco aesthetic which characterises the grand glasshouse dominated. The monumental entrance consisted of luminescent pillars in pâte de verre (glass casting) and low gates which were designed by the craftsman in wrought iron, raymond subes (1891-1970).

The 20th century: the start of a great renovation processThe glasshouses designed by charles rohault de Fleury (the australian glasshouse and the Mexican glasshouse) were listed on the supplementary inventory of historic monuments in July 1964. They were restored in 1980 with a prototype glass equipped with a metal oxide protection tin base intended to help isolation. This layer quickly deteriorated, giving the glass a purple gleam. The cover of the winter garden built by rené Berger was redeveloped in 1980 with armoured glass and the forepart was restored in 1999. The restoration of the curved glass was carried out by paul chemetov and Borja Huidobro between 1995 and 1997. in 2005, the large scale construction work began and continues to this day.

3. Bibliography

Histoire et description du Muséum royal d’histoire naturelle. Deleuze. paris, royer, 1823Muséum d’histoire naturelle. Serres chaudes. rohault de Fleury. paris, Firmin-Didot, 1837Album du Jardin des plantes de Paris. acarie-Baron. paris, angé, 1838Le Jardin des plantes. Boitard. paris, Dubochet, 1842Promenades au Jardin des plantes. Guérin. paris, education and religion bookshop, 1850Le Muséum d’histoire naturelle. paris, curmer, 1854Les jardins, histoire et description. Mangin. Tours, Mame, 1867 et 1887Les serres du Muséum d’histoire naturelle en 1892-1893. cornu. paris, 1893Le Muséum d’histoire naturelle il y a un siècle. Hamy. paris, Leroux, 1896Les transformations du Muséum d’histoire naturelle. Henry. paris, 1938Grande histoire des serres et du jardin d’hiver. Marrey et Monnet. paris, Graphite editions, 1984Les serres historiques du Muséum, une restauration exemplaire. Delange. available in the information leaflet of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, no. 40, Januar, p. 37.

Inside view of the great glasshouse. Print from the “Jardin des Plantes” Pierre BOITARD - Paris, 1842.

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4. around the glasshouses

a. Before your visit • The documents serve as the guiding thread of the visit and can be downloaded from

the website www.mnhn.fr: plan of glasshouses – treasure hunt – plants and man – the race for light – adaptation to arid environments. special assistance will be given to disabled visitors with the uploading of documents to facilitate independent visits.

• educational documents are available from the MNHN website when the glasshouses are open. They introduce the four glasshouses and suggest several visit routes for both primary and secondary school pupils. Their goal is to make pupils aware of biological diversity and to expose the different ways in which plants have adapted in the selected environments, the fragility of ecosystems, the endemism of New caledonia, etc… Two treasure hunts enable pupils to understand plants which are useful to man (for food, habitats, medicine,…).

Teachers lead the visits themselves according to the different routes: “Plants and man” – upper primary school and lower secondary school “Race for the light” – upper primary school, lower and upper secondary school “Adaptation to arid environments” – upper primary school, lower and upper secondary school “Insular endemism” – lower and upper secondary school “History of plants” – lower and upper secondary school > For schools (information from +33 1 40 79 36 00)

b. To find out more • Cabinet d’Histoire exposition: plans, watercolours, photographic prints illustrating the

history of the glasshouses and their importance within the heart of the Jardin des plantes. vellums of plants that have found a suitable place for their development complete this panorama.

> Between 14th april and 5th July at the cabinet d’Histoire, open everyday except Tuesday and 1st May, open from 10am to 5pm, and 10am to 6pm saturday, sunday and bank holidays between april and september.

Last entry 30 minutes being closing. price: 3e / reduced : 1e call: +33 1 40 79 54 79.

• Go to our new website « jardindesplantes.net » for true immersion in the pathways of the garden and the multiple entrances for all botanical enthusiasts.

• a debate on 8th November 2010, as part of “lundis du Muséum” on the topic of glass-houses. Debate chaired by Marie-Odile Monchicourt.

> Monday 8th November at 6pm. auditorium de la Grande Galerie de l’Évolution (free entry – limited availability).

• Visits and events at the Jardin des Plantes -The garden pathways including the botanical school are free to access to promote the

discovery of the variety of plant life. This is with the exception of the alpine garden (1€ at weekends and bank holidays) and the ecological garden which can only be visited as part of a guided visit.

- To satisfy your curiosity as an amateur gardener, we hold the: “propos de jardiniers”, on the 1st and 3rd Thursday every month at 3pm, from april to October. - To find out more about what a palaeobotanist does, we welcome you to the “Métiers du

Muséum” event at the museum on 27th June. > sunday 27th June at 3pm. auditorium de la Grande Galerie de l’evolution (free access

– limited availability).

c. Participating in the great annual events The plants will be honoured by the animations of the Jardin des plantes on the occasion

of the national and parisian events. > “Le Festival de la Fête de la Nature” between 21st and 23rd May and the international

Day of Biodiversity, 22nd May. > “rendez-vous au jardin”, 5th, 6th and 7th June. > “La fête des jardins de paris” (paris Garden Festival) 25th and 26th september.

Entrance to the great glasshouse through which the journey begins. © Manuel Cohen

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5. Press photos

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Tropical rainforest glasshouse © Manuel Cohen

Plant History glasshouse - View of the structure reflecting the New Caledonia glasshouse © Manuel Cohen

Tropical rainforest glasshouse © François-Gilles Grandin/MNHN

Plant History glasshouse - Panoramic view showing the glasshouse and the curved glasshouses on the left. © Manuel Cohen

Plant History glasshouseAerial view of the Paris Mosque in the distance © Manuel Cohen

Plant History glasshouse © Manuel Cohen

Tropical rainforest glasshouse View of the great rock © Manuel Cohen

Tropical rainforest glasshouse © Manuel Cohen

New Caledonia glasshouse © Manuel Cohen

Tropical rainforest glasshouse View from the roof © Manuel Cohen

Plant History glasshouseDetail of the structure © Manuel Cohen

Plant History glasshouse© Manuel Cohen

Tropical rainforest glasshouseView from the roof © Manuel Cohen

View of the curved glasshouses. Photos taken from « Muséum d’histoire naturelle. Serres chaudes » Charles ROHAULT DE FLEURY Paris, 1837.© Bibliothèque Centrale du MNHN Paris 2010

Interior view of the grand glasshouse, Print taken from « Le Jardin des Plantes »Pierre BOITARD - Paris, 1842. © Bibliothèque Centrale du MNHN Paris 2010

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Ball cactus © Denis Larpin/MNHN

The “bindweed” (Turbina inopinata, part of the Convolvulaceae family) © Denis Larpin/MNHN

Cocoa plant © Michel Morin/MNHN Flower of the Aristolochia liana (attractive to pollinising insects) © Denis Larpin/MNHN

Freycinetia, plant in flower © Jean-Noël Labat/MNHN

Coffee-tree © Denis Larpin/MNHNSelaginelle (a plant close to ferns) the coffee plant © Denis Larpin/MNHN

Pebble plant (Lithops) in flower© Denis Larpin/MNHN

Sideritis with downy leaves to limit evaporation © Denis Larpin/MNHN

An endemic, carnivorous plant from New Caledonia (Nepenthes viellardii)© Jean-Noël Labat/MNHN

Prêles © Denis Larpin/MNHN

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6. Project Teams

steering Committee of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle

Geneviève BeRaud-BRidenne, Director of the department of botanical and zoological gardensÉric JOly, Director of the arboretum de chèvreloup, Head of the renovation projectdamasia sTOCKeR, Head of control of production of DJBZ contentBernard nOËl, its manager and all of the gardening team of the tropical glasshouses,and particularly Élisabeth lOPeZ and Jean-Christophe RiBesXavier RiFFeT, Head of horticultural projectsGaëlle BellaMy, Director of renovation managementChristian le BOuaR, Director of renovation workyvette delPOPOlO, Head of distribution of knowledge and educational action (Diffusion des connaissances et de l’action Éducative)Jeane MOnTanO, scientific designer (landscapes) DJBZPascale JOannOT, Head of renovation at the direction of collections, head of relations with French territories overseasagathe HaeVeRMans-RaVeT, scientific designer (landscapes), Department of systematics and evolutionaurélie ROuX, Documentation assistant, picture libraryCatherine CHeValieR-COulOn, Handicaps

scientific Committee of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle

dario de FRanCesCHi, Lecturer and researcher, department of the history of the earth, paleobiodiversity denis laRPin, Head of tropical plant scientific collections DJBZRobert BaRBaulT, Director of the department of ecology and management of biodiversity Guillaume leCOinTRe, Director of the department of systematics and evolutionThomas HaeVeRMans, Botanist from the department of systematics and evolution

scenography Team

agence nC nathalie CRinièRe

Conceptualisation and space Planning - audiovisuals and Multimedia

OneTwo Marie CuisseT & anne JaFFRennOuC-alBuM Graphics Tiphaine MassaRi

Other contributors

Patrick BlanC, Botanist/researcher at the cNrs daniel BaRTHeleMy & René leCOusTRe, Mixed research organisations (uMr) cirad-cnrs-inra-ird-université Montpellier 2 “Botany and bioinformatics of thearchitecture of plants” (aMap)Benoît JallOn, LaN architectureJean-François laGneau, Head architect of the historical monumentsJoël ViRaTelle, Director of the Maison de la Nouvelle-calédonie in parisGildas GaTeBlÉ, caledonian agronomic institute (iac)Walles KOTRa, Managing director of France Ô Thierry MennessOn, Head of the caledonian agronomic institute (iac) Christian PaPineau, Head of the “Dry forests” program in New-caledonia

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7. Partners

The government, the Congress, the north and south Provinces and the loyalty islands of new CaledoniaeThe Maison de la Nouvelle-calédonie in paris also supports the initiative of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle which is dedicated to New caledonia, the only geographical glasshouse in the Jardin des plantes among the four glasshouses at this magnificent site.The partnership established between the Museum and the Maison de la Nouvelle-calédonie allows the acquisition, replacement and transportation of plants from New caledonia to paris, as well as the realisation of a part of the museography of the caledonian glasshouse to which the Maison de la Nouvelle-calédonie has contributed.The visitors of the New caledonia glasshouse will enjoy discovering the extraordinary richness of the flora of this south pacific land through the humid forest, the maquis minier, the dry forest, the savanna and the mangrove. coming from the caledonian forests, the sculpted posts of the ile des pins as well as the magnificent frames on display evoke the importance of the symbolic meaning of plants in the Kanak culture. at the heart of paris, the New caledonia glasshouse will also allow visitors to experience “the spirit of the country”.Maison de la nouvelle-Calédonie – 4 bis rue de Ventadour – 75001 ParisCall +33 1 42 86 70 00

la Caisse d’epargne ile-de-France makes access to the glasshouses possible for visitors with disabilitiesright from the start, the caisses d’epargne has supported general public interest and social cohesion. created in 1818 on the basis of the original idea of relying on the virtues of saving and financial education, the caisses d’epargne strive to accompany their clients in their everyday life.The support provided by the caisse d’epargne ile-de-France to the renovation of the glasshouses of the Jardin des plantes is naturally explained by the community of interests that links it to the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. That is to say, the willingness to work for the sense of general interest and passing on knowledge to all members of the public. The caisse d’epargne ile-de-France has helped us to finance part of the fittings and measures adapted for welcoming disabled visitors and to offer them a multi-sensorial and educational journey of discovery through the plant world.This project is fully in line with the social responsibility strategy led by the caisse d’epargne iDF which is centred on social progression.The Caisse d’Epargne Ile-de-France is the biggest of the 17 Caisses d’Epargne. It has 5 200 employees and near to 500 agencies which serve 3.8 million clients. A regional bank for the community, the CEIDF develops a large selection of products and financial services to cater for the needs of its many clients comprising of: 550,000 members; 780,000 young people; 28,000 professional clients; 23,700 associations and 2,200 companies. www.societaires-ceidf.fr CeidF : 19, rue du louvre – 75001 Paris – Contact : Céline ClaverieMail : celine.claverie@ceidf.caisse-epargne.ft – Call: +33 1 40 41 43 20

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From the start of its activity in the environmental sector as a specialist for recycling and treating waste, séché environnement has been convinced that the preservation of biodiversity is, and will remain for a long time, an important issue, both for its intrinsic interest to the collection service and for establishing the social acceptability of these vocations. This has been integrated in its business strategy right from the start. identifying and analysing the value of an environment by the expertise of its biodiversity has also allowed séché environnement to balance managing natural spaces with their industrial use more efficiently. aware and closely involved, the employees of the Group show a symbiosis between their economical activity and the ecosystems.

The nature services on the séché environnement sites

1. Ecosystemic: Hoverflies on water catchment zones - 2. Economic: Pastoral farming with highland cattle - 3. Cultural: Guided moth tours - 4. Heritage: Salamander on an industrial site

along the grain of scientific collaborations that the group has enjoyed for several years with the MNHN, particularly in relation to counting avifauna, séché environnement is pleased to assist the Museum in its renovation of the great glasshouses, most notably for the important educational aspect of this project.Contact:séché environnement – daniel Baumgarten – d.baumgarten@groupe-seche.com

Preserving our environment and acting to promote biodiversity, a commitment for the Fondation du Groupe GdF sueZGDF sueZ, one of the first thermiciens on a global scale, is present throughout the entire electricity and natural gas energy chain - from the top to the bottom.By placing responsible growth at the heart of their activities (energy, energy and environmental services), it sets itself great challenges: fulfilling energy needs, assuring provisions, fighting against climatic change and optimising utilisation of resources.Because these activities are at the heart of environmental challenges and global social problems, sustainable development is a true strategic issue. The ambition of the Fondation can be seen in this Group policy. One of its key aspects is supporting measures intended to preserve biodiversity, most notably by the creation and development of gardens and symbolic places and raising awareness of the importance of respecting the environment among as many people as possible. as part of the international Year of Biodiversity, it is natural that the Fondation du Groupe GDF sue Z has joined forces with the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, a major protagonist committed to this global cause. it is, therefore, very proud to support the restoration of the glasshouses, particularly those re-lated to the evolution of plants.

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uniVeRs naTuRBis: nature and urbanism!

naturbis programme on France 3naturbis portal can be found at France 3.fr

How can we live in our cities today without forgetting the nature that surrounds us?The answers can be found in the Naturbis universe, the virtual city where all sorts of questions related to town planning, architecture, nature, energy, transport and habitats are answered! The idea is very simple: through an internet portal and a weekly television programme, the focus is on imagining and building together – the television viewers and the internet users – the city of tomorrow. To do this, you have all the keys to furrow the roads of your virtual city and to access its areas and buildings.

Naturbis offers a wealth of videos and subjects filmed by the entire France 3 network, recorded in France and abroad. These reports can be watched on Naturbis.com as well as on the Naturbis programmes broadcasted every saturday at 4.15pm on France 3 in Burgundy and Franche-comté, sunday at 11.05am on France 3 sat. after it has been broadcast, the programme is then uploaded online at Naturbis.com so it can be seen by a wider audience. Naturbis is both an active and interactive virtual city because anyone who wishes to make their own personal contribution - whether it be written messages, photos or videos - can do so in the space intended for this. The forum also enables Naturbis’ virtual inhabitants to discuss the reports and the articles featured in the programmes or on the portal. and to make sure you keep up to date with any new environmental or town planning developments, Naturbis.com offers an “information thread” which is updated on a daily basis… to keep you informed about almost anything! see you soon in the naturbis universe!www.france3.frwww.naturbis.com