Department of Plant Resources
Department of Plant Resources
GPO Box 3708
Kathmandu��
Nepal
Suraj Dhunganauraj Dhungana
Email: banaspati@nat_herb.wlink.com.np
The Central Offices National Herbarium & Plant Laboratories is situated at the base of Phulchowki hill in the south east corner of Kathmandu valley at a distance of 16 km. It is surrounded on all sides by natural vegetation of Schima-Castanopsis and Alnus nepalensis. The surroundings of the institute is planted with the tree species like Rhododendron arboreum, Cedrus deodara, Ginkgo biloba, Cinnamomum glaucescens, Michelia sp. Aesculus indica, Manglietia insignis, Mahonia napaulensis, Ficus semicordata and Japanese Cherry. The hedge of Camellia sinensis, Pyracantha crenulata, Stranvaesia nussia and Jasmine are also maintained.
The institute embraces 13 sections namely: Phanerogams, Cryptogams, Economic Botany, Cytology, Anatomy, Tissue Culture, Plant Breeding, Plant Genetic Resources, Floriculture, Medicinal Herbs, Plant Protection, Ecology and Environment and the Administration & Accounts sections.
The National Herbarium is the only institute where all the plant specimens collected from various parts of Nepal are identified and preserved. These collections are either made through the efforts of the Department itself, or received as gifts from the other institutions and the individuals engaged in botanical researches. The collaborative works on inventory of the plant resources are also carried out.
At present, there are about 1,00,000 mounted and 50,000 unmounted plant specimens housed in the Herbarium. These include specimens of Gymnosperms, Angiosperms and Pteridophytes collected from various parts of Nepal. Recently the list of "Flowering Plants of Nepal (Phanerogams)" has been published. Near about 1500 specimens of fungi have been gathered and preserved. Some species described as a new to science have been preserved. Recently the vivid listing of the fungi reported from Nepal as "Fungi of Nepal" Part I II and III have been published.