The greenhouse of Succulent plants

The greenhouse of succulent plants, built in 1985 and restored in 2000, houses about 350 species belonging to about 20 different families, characterized by adaptations to arid climates and native to different continents.

Water stress has caused the same type of modifications in species that are also very distant from each other from the systematic point of view, providing a clear example of evolutionary convergence.

The most represented families are Cactaceae, Euphorbiacee, Crassulaceae, Aizoaceae, Agavaceae, with many species that show the extraordinary biodiversity linked to arid environments.

Many of these species are used as ornamental for their flashy shapes, colors and blooms. For this reason, their collection has been indiscriminate for years and today their import from their countries of origin is regulated by CITES, the convention on international trade in threatened animal and plant species.

To know more:

Caramiello R., Fossa V., Guglielmone L., 2008. The greenhouses of the Botanical Garden of the University of Turin. Neos Edizioni, 30 p. (italian language)