The Chilean flora consists of about 5,000 taxa of which about 46% are endemic to Chile - the highest percentage for any South American country. Although there is no reliable figure of how many of these are threatened, the number is likely to exceed 25%.
At RBGE, the Chilean flora is represented by 475 taxa in 236 genera and 103 families; a representative number of these are cultivated at the Botanics in Edinburgh in a special area north of the Front Range of Glasshouses. These plantings complement the Chilean Rainforest Glade at Benmore Botanic Garden.
You can also discover the diversity and beauty of Chile's forested areas through the medium of botanical art "Plants from the Woods and Forests of Chile", on the web page that charts the development of the book to be published in 2013.
The Chilean Terrace at RBGE was planted in 2005 and contains mainly species from the southern Chile, where they grow in the temperate rainforests. Of particular note are many myrtle species such as Myrceugenia planipes, M. lanceolata, M. ovata, Tepulaia stipularis and Amomyrtus meli which not only have attractive cream-coloured flowers but also various shades of red young foliage. There are also a number of threatened species including Berberidopsis corallina, Legrandia concinna and the narrow endemic Lobelia bridgesii.
All these plants form part of RBGE's active research on the Chilean flora and are widely used in educational programmes.
The Linnaeus Monument, first erected by John Hope, was relocated within this area in 1967. It commemorates the great Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who laid the foundations for the scientific naming and classifying of living things.
Other garden features include....
