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THE ORIGIN OF GARDEN PLANTS AND THE FSU CONTRIBUTION

The Tropical Asian Center


Tropical Asia, as a center of ornamental plants, covers some parts of the Palaeotropis, including the Indian and Indochinese Floristic Regions as well as a portion of the Sudan-Zambezian Region in Hindustan. Vavilov considered the Indo-Malayan centre as the second most important source of economical plants. Some 450 ornamental species, i.e. about 8 %, have been obtained from this range. In the Temperate zone, they are mostly cultivated in greenhouses, indoors and in winter gardens. In particular palms, orchids and begonias (e.g. Begonia rex), the well known India rubber tree (Ficus elastica), banana (Musa), mango (Mangifera indica), velvet plant or purple passion (Gynura aurantiaca), Aglaonema and many other plants came from India and Indo-Malaya. Of the same origin are Alocasia, Colocasia, Codiaeum and Medinilla magnifica. Herbaceous perennials, such as the cockscomb (Celosia argentea), and the globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) are often cultivated as annuals in the open. Garden balsam (Impatiens balsamina) occurring in nature in India is very popular in the United States.

THE ORIGIN OF GARDEN PLANTS
 
 
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