Exploring a 500-Year-Old Herbarium

November 13, 2023

Pressed flowers have the power to transport us through time, and for a team of dedicated researchers, a 500-year-old herbarium offered a captivating journey into Italy’s past, particularly the city of Bologna in the north.

A Botanical Time Capsule: Aldrovandi’s 16th Century Herbarium

In the heart of Bologna lies a unique treasure—a meticulously preserved collection of 5,000 pressed specimens of flowers, leaves, and plant parts. This botanical time capsule was created by the renowned Italian naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi between 1551 and 1586.

Unveiling the Past: ‘Botanical Memory’ Research

On November 8, the Royal Society published a groundbreaking paper titled ‘Botanical memory: five centuries of floristic changes revealed by a Renaissance herbarium (Ulisse Aldrovandi, 1551–1586).’ This research delves deep into the historical context, shedding light on how the discovery of America and other events shaped the floristic patterns in lowland temperate Europe. The study also highlights demographic trends in Europe, excluding the European part of the former USSR, and identifies species—both native and alien—that are either extinct or unknown today.

Tracking Five Centuries of Change

Lead researcher Fabrizio Buldrini and his team note, “The botanical memory preserved in his herbarium allowed us to track floristic changes in connection with human disturbance, habitat loss and transformation, climate change, and alien species invasion across 500 years.”

Meet Ulisse Aldrovandi: The Man Behind the Herbarium

As fascinating as the herbarium itself is the remarkable individual who created it. Born in 1522 into a noble family in Bologna, Ulisse Aldrovandi’s insatiable curiosity led him on a lifelong quest for knowledge.

A Life of Challenges and Discoveries

Aldrovandi faced numerous challenges in his life. In 1549, he was accused of heresy, publicly recanting his beliefs in the basilica of San Petronio. A fortunate turn of events occurred when an acquaintance, Julius III, ascended to the papal throne, saving Aldrovandi from further trials in Rome.

The Turning Point: A Meeting with Luca Ghini

In 1549, Aldrovandi crossed paths with Luca Ghini, the creator of the first medicinal herb garden in Pisa in 1543. This encounter redirected Aldrovandi’s focus towards the natural world, which he explored with unwavering dedication. In 1568, he established Bologna’s inaugural botanical garden and the fifth in all of Italy, which he personally nurtured until his passing.

Aldrovandi’s Herbarium: A Window into a Changing World

Within his herbarium, one can find the oldest specimens of several species introduced to the region from the New World (the Americas) and from Africa and central and eastern Asia. Notably, the collection includes species like Mirabilis jalapa and Aloe vera. The paper highlights that many of the American species currently invading Europe were absent in Aldrovandi’s time, only naturalizing in a few locations by the late 19th century. Aldrovandi’s herbarium thus serves as a poignant record of the initial shifts in European flora and habitats.

« Previous Post Next Post »