Trunk of Teak tree showing Dendrochronology

   The importance of plants in every day life can hardly be over estimated as most of the things that we need have got their origin in some plant part or the other. The Botanical specimens are mainly arranged in two galleries (i.e. Systematic Botany and Economic Botany). In the Systematic Botany Gallery, the exhibits are arranged in their evolutionary order starting with primitive Cryptogams i.e. algae and fungi. Families of flowering plants are arranged according to the Bentham and Hooker's system of classification. In the Morphology Section, the models of different types of inflorescence, ovules, pollen grains and embryosacs are displayed with descriptive labels. Specimens of Systematic Botany  include preserved herbariums, wet specimens and photographs.

    The chief aim of the Economic Botany Gallery of this Museum is to show the myriad ways in which plants are useful to man. Twenty seven show-cases have been installed depicting Fibres, Cotton, Sugarcane, Paddy, Millets, Pulses, Oils, Spices, Drugs and Narcotics, Dyes and Tans, apart from the four 'Dioramas'. Other specimens have been collected and included in the display. The specimens have been arranged according to the uses to which plant material are put. A new theme on "Plants and Engineering" has been illustrated in three show cases, apart from Perfumes and Cosmetics. The four dioramas graphically show 'Sea weeds' 'Mushroom', 'Tea' and 'Rubber'. Gums and resins, beverages, toys and miscellaneous specimens (Handicrafts of plant products) are also on display.

   Cut-outs in plywood have been used to frame certain specimens like perfumes and oils. Special lighting effects have been done in the 'Sea Weeds', show-case, showing the depths of the sea where these plants are found. The place in the middle of the hall has been utilised for installing four diorama show cases and eight oridinary show-cases built in such a way as to cover the pillars. A skeleton of a sandal wood tree has been placed in the middle and lighted up from below.

01. Systematic Botany
02. Economic Botany