Plantarum Institute

The Plantarum Institute (Instituto Plantarum) is a Brazilian private botanical research and publishing organization founded in 1981 by agronomist and ecologist Harri Lorenzi. It is best known for its extensive catalogue of books on Brazilian flora, its specialized library, laboratory, herbarium (HPL, registered in Index Herbariorum with about 20,000 exsiccatae), and the Jardim Botânico Plantarum in Nova Odessa, São Paulo. The institute operates an online store selling its own titles and those of other publishers, covering topics such as trees, botany, gastronomy, children's literature, and landscaping, as well as kits, apps, and online courses. The institute's scientific assets include a herbarium with over 300 families of angiosperms, gymnosperms and pteridophytes, with notable collections of Acanthaceae, Araceae, Arecaceae, Begoniaceae, Gesneriaceae, Marantaceae and Passifloraceae, and more than 40 type specimens, especially of the palm genus Syagrus. It also maintains carpological, xylological, seed and photographic collections, the latter with about one million botanical images. The Jardim Botânico Plantarum was conceived from 1990, acquired a 10-hectare site on 12 August 1998, and was founded in 2007. It was recognized by the National Commission of Botanical Gardens (CNJB) in 2012 under CONAMA Resolution 339/2003, and opened to the public in November 2011. In 2015 it was qualified by the Ministry of Justice as a Civil Society Organization of Public Interest (OSCIP). The living collection comprises more than 6,000 plant species, with a strong focus on native and threatened Brazilian flora, and the garden conducts ex situ conservation, scientific exchange, and environmental education. Commercially, the institute functions as a publisher and retailer of botanical and related literature, with its online store offering titles such as 'Morfologia Vegetal', 'Plantas Tóxicas', 'Árvores e Arvoretas Exóticas no Brasil', and the 'Manual de Identificação e Controle de Plantas Daninhas' (8th edition), along with themed kits (Saúde, Paisagista, Arborização, Coleção Infantil, Coleção de Árvores Brasileiras) and promotional bundles. It also maintains an Instagram presence (@jardimbotanicoplantarum) and a newsletter.

The Instituto Plantarum was founded in 1981 by Harri Lorenzi, a Brazilian agronomist and ecologist. From its early years, the institute focused on the study and documentation of Brazilian native flora, building a specialized library in taxonomy, a laboratory, and a herbarium. The herbarium, known as HPL, is registered in the Index Herbariorum and holds approximately 20,000 exsiccatae, representing more than 300 families of angiosperms, gymnosperms and pteridophytes. Its collections are particularly strong in Acanthaceae, Araceae, Arecaceae, Begoniaceae, Gesneriaceae, Marantaceae and Passifloraceae, and it maintains over 40 type specimens, with emphasis on the palm genus Syagrus. Additional scientific assets include carpological, xylological, seed and photographic collections, the latter comprising about one million botanical images. The idea of a botanical garden took shape from 1990, driven by Lorenzi's vision to present the living botanical collection resulting from his research to the public. On 12 August 1998, the institute acquired a 10-hectare area to house its living plant collection and future headquarters. The site, previously degraded by industrial activity, was transformed over a decade through landscaping and environmental treatment into a biodiverse botanical garden with 80,000 m² of thematic gardens, lakes, groves and about 5 km of paved interpretive trails. The Jardim Botânico Plantarum was founded in 2007, recognized and accredited by the National Commission of Botanical Gardens (CNJB) in 2012 under CONAMA Resolution 339/2003, and opened to regular public visitation in November 2011. On 6 July 2015, it was qualified by the Ministry of Justice as a Civil Society Organization of Public Interest (OSCIP), with the main objectives of studying and conserving Brazilian plant biodiversity and the environment through educational and research actions. This qualification allowed the garden to seek expanded funding and partnerships with public, private and local government sectors. The garden develops projects such as ex situ conservation of threatened plant species, scientific exchange of vegetative material with other botanical gardens and national and international institutions, publication of scientific articles, technical support to peer entities, and environmental education for children, youth and adults. It has four specialized greenhouses for acclimatization and propagation: one for begonias, one for amaryllidaceae and orchids, one for sowing, and one with high humidity and luminosity for Amazon and Atlantic Forest species. As of recent data, the living collection includes more than 6,000 plant species. In 2015, the collection was divided into 2,609 native Brazilian species (70.3% of the collection, representing 5.7% of the national flora), 157 threatened species (6.1% of native species in the collection) listed in the Red Book of Brazilian Flora, 54 species of interest (non-threatened native species cultivated for scientific, socioeconomic and conservationist reasons), and 1,106 exotic species (29.7% of the collection), including 48 species on the IUCN Red List. The most represented threatened families are Cactaceae (23 spp.), Gesneriaceae (21 spp.), Arecaceae (18 spp.) and Begoniaceae (15 spp.), with the Atlantic Forest as the main biome of occurrence (120 species), followed by the Cerrado (36 species). Alongside its scientific and conservation activities, the institute operates as a publisher and online retailer. Its online store offers books on trees, botany, gastronomy, children's literature and landscaping, as well as kits, apps and online courses. Titles include 'Morfologia Vegetal', 'Plantas Tóxicas', 'Árvores e Arvoretas Exóticas no Brasil', and the 'Manual de Identificação e Controle de Plantas Daninhas' (8th edition). The store also sells themed kits such as Kit Saúde, Kit Paisagista, Kit Arborização, Coleção Infantil and Coleção de Árvores Brasileiras, and maintains an Instagram presence (@jardimbotanicoplantarum) and a newsletter.

• 2015

  On 6 July, qualified by the Ministry of Justice as a Civil Society Organization of Public Interest (OSCIP).

• 2012

  Recognized and accredited by the National Commission of Botanical Gardens (CNJB) under CONAMA Resolution 339/2003.

• 2011

  Botanical garden opened to regular public visitation in November.

• 2007

  Jardim Botânico Plantarum founded.

• 1998

  On 12 August, the institute acquired a 10-hectare area for its living collection and future headquarters.

• 1990

  Idea of a botanical garden conceived.

• 1981

  Instituto Plantarum founded by Harri Lorenzi.

A scientific and educational brand combining botanical research, conservation and publishing, with a strong focus on Brazilian native flora.

• Livro Morfologia Vegetal

• Livro Plantas Tóxicas

• Livro Árvores e Arvoretas Exóticas no Brasil

• Manual de Identificação e Controle de Plantas Daninhas (8ª edição)

• Kit Saúde

• Kit Paisagista

• Kit Arborização

• Coleção Infantil

• Coleção de Árvores Brasileiras

1. 1Loja online de Instituto Plantarumplantarum.com.br
2. 2Instituto Plantarum - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Instituto Plantarum - Wikipedia (Portuguese)pt.wikipedia.org