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Treasures of the Rare Book Collection - Plants of Mediterranean Climate Areas

February 07, 2012

News from the Library

This digital exhibition shows off a small part of what can be found in the Arboretum Library's Rare Book Room. It's also a way of showing how library collections are connected to living collections in the Arboretum. If you have a smartphone, take The Rare Book Walk in the garden (using Google Maps) to view the plants in real time, as you look at images of the library's rare book collection.

By clicking on the image or imageslider you will be transferred to the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden Flickr-page where there is additional information about the image. Here, on the webpage, there are interesting stories about the plants shown in the exhibition. By clicking on the Google Maps-link, you will be shown where you can find that same plant as the illustrator drew in 19th century, here in the Arboretum, in the 21st century.

The plants featured in this exhibition are from Mediterranean Climate Areas, which is the type of climate in Southern California - dry summers with precipitation generally occurring during the winter.

Please note that plant names may have changed over time. The captions to each image usually reflect the plant's name according to the source. To search for current plant names, refer to The International Plant Names Index (IPNI). 

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Amaryllis

An amaryllis is a true bulb, like an onion, consisting of multiple encircling leaf bases, which make up the bulb. The larger the bulb, the faster it will bloom and the larger the blooms. A bulb smaller than two inches will not bloom, but once of flowering size, an Amaryllis bulb can produce flowers up to 75 years.

Image scanned from rare book. Amaryllis belladonnaAmaryllis belladonna. Image source: Botanical Register Vol. IX (9: plate 714. 1823). 


Find out plant location in the garden using Google Maps

The word amaryllis comes from the Greek word amaryssein, which means to sparkle, referring to the bloom. It also references the tale of the Greek maiden named Amaryllis, who created a red bloom for her true love, from her own blood. Amaryllis was a shepherdess who loved Alteo, a shepherd with Hercules' strength and Apollo's beauty. However, Alteo only loved flowers. He'd often said that he would only love a girl, who bought him a new flower. So, Amaryllis dressed in maiden's white and appeared at Alteo's door for 30 nights, each time piercing her heart with a golden arrow. When Alteo finally opened his door, he found a crimson flower, sprung from the blood of Amaryllis's heart. 

Read the whole story at the Bulbs and Tubers page

More images of Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis) family

See all of the plants sorted by family

Sorted by color - Pink flowers

See all flowers sorted by color

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Winter 2012 Arboretum Library E-News

January 20, 2012

News from the Library

Hello all:

Wow!  The Arboretum Library's San Jose State University Library and Information Science Intern, Kristin Abraham, created an online exhibit of early Southern California nursery catalogs while she was here last semester.

Aggeler & Musser Seed Co. catalog from 1927

 

The exhibit concentrates on fruit and vegetable catalogs from the early 1900s until World War II.

It is a wonderful grouping of materials from our earliest collections.  She also made a display of them in the cabinet in the middle of the Library.  Come see them in person!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here for the New items in the Arboretum Library

Well….I wouldn’t exactly call the books “new”…The 171 titles again show the hard work of my interns trying to bring the catalog up-to-date; cataloging previously un-cataloged materials and moving items from the old classification system and wooden card catalog to the new classification system and the online catalog.  We did receive a wonderful gift from Kerry Morris whose books moved swiftly into the collection.  There are in the new book list too; some very nice, inspirational, books on gardens from other Mediterranean climate areas of the world.  The one on Mallorca made me swoon.  

Cover of Gardens of Mallorca

 

The new magazine articles list is cutting edge.  The termite article went right to work with a challenge we have down at the Depot.  Let me know if you are interested in any of these articles.

Here is the list of upcoming books for February 2012-June 2012 for the Reading the Western Landscape Book Group

The next meeting is Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 7:00 p.m

Cover of Among Friends

The book is Among Friends by M. F. K. Fisher; San Francisco : North Point Press. 1971.

“Among Friends is M. F. K. Fisher's fascinating memoir of her childhood in Whittier, California. In sharing these memorable and moving portraits of her family and of the town, we are given an enchanting glimpse into the early life of one of our most delightful and best-loved writers.” from Goodreads.com.

Here is a link to the books and questions we have finished.

Tell your friends! 

The Bookworms story time themes and dates are below:

The story time is recommended for children ages 3-8.

This is a free program for members and free with admission for non-members.  Meet in the Entrance Rotunda.

It Blooms Every Year:  Aloes

Wednesdays, January 4 & 18, 10 am

Saturday, January 21, 2 pm

Let Us Have Lettuce:  Winter Gardening

Wednesdays, February 1 & 15, 10 am

Saturday, February 18, 2 pm

Flitting from Flower to Flower:  Pollinators

Wednesdays, March 7 & 21, 10 am

Saturday, March 17, 2 pm

The Arboretum Library hours are:

Open Tuesday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Open Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Open Sundays, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Come visit!

 

Remember we are circulating to Arboretum staff and members.  The circulation period for books is 3 weeks with 2 renewals if no one else wants the item.  You can renew by e-mail, phone or in person.  The circulation period for current magazines is 3 days with 2 renewals if no one else wants the item.

Our Botanical Information Consultant (for plant advice) is available Tuesday-Saturday, Frank.McDonough@Arboretum.org, or 626-821-3239.

For up to the minute Library News, check us out on the Arboretum’s Facebook Page.

Happy reading!  

 

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