The role of botanic gardens in the twenty-first century.

Abstract

Abstract Botanic gardens and their functions and role in society have evolved over time. Originally established for study of medicinal plants in the mid-sixteenth century, they morphed into active sites for introduction, cultivation and dissemination of economically important crops during European expansion of colonies in Asia, America and Africa during the seventeenth-nineteenth centuries. During the second half of the twentieth century, importance was placed on the need for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. In the twenty-first century, botanic gardens are challenged to address issues that extend beyond the garden walls by placing social and environmental responsibility as key mission drivers.