Phylogeny and Evolution

With about 600 species of the genus Peperomia and 100 species of the family Aristolochiaceae the Botanical Garden Dresden owns two unique special collections.

On the one hand, these collections are important for conservation issues – some of the collected species are probably extinct in the wild or only known with very small numbers of individuals.

On the other hand, the plants are the object of scientific studies. Researchers from the institute of Botany at TU Dresden investigate the relationship of plants within these and neighboring groups. The findings help to understand plant evolution and provide a basis for conservation activities or the development of biomimetic materials.