Gardens that are pride of ALC

 TODAY'S PAPER » NATIONAL » ANDHRA PRADESH          VIJAYAWADA July, 19, 2011                                                                                                                    

The college campus has several trees that are over 50 years old

The flowers of Calabash tree, native to Central and South America, are pollinated by bats. These trees, even if planted here, rarely bear fruit. But such a botanic miracle occurred in the gardens of Andhra Loyola College (ALC).

Oasis of sorts

Orchids of genus Vanda, which thrive only in highly humid conditions, rarely bloom even if they are grown in a garden in a hot and dry place such as Vijayawada. In yet another marvel of the natural world, the plant went into bloom in the herbal garden on the campus.

The greenery in the ALC has become like an oasis for nature lovers in the city, which is fast developing into a concrete jungle with rapid felling of trees for the construction of high-rise buildings and widening of roads.

The college campus has several trees that are over 50 years old (the institute was established in 1953). The Jesuits, who run the institution, and the faculty working in it have been protecting the biodiversity and added new varieties to it.

Right in the middle of the college, car parking is a magnificent specimen of the Cannon Ball Tree (Latinname: Couroupita guianensis , local name: Nagalingam tree). The campus has several excellent specimens of the Indian Rosewood (Delbergia sp.), Copperpod or Rusty Shield (Pterocarpus sp.), and other trees found commonly in the Indian forests. The Lakshmanphal tree, the upcountry cousin of Sitaphal, is the proud possession of the college.

List of plants

The Flora of Andhra Loyola College, a scientifically drafted list of plants, has over 500 species of plants. Head of Botany Department B. Siva Kumari, who authored the Flora four years ago, says that the number of species on campus has increased to 550 and the book which has all the taxonomic details have to be revised.

The botanic garden with 70 medicinal plants and 35 rare plants was developed to teach the students with the help of live examples.

A garden with plants that belong to different taxonomic classes and families is a luxury few educational institutes can afford.

“In this section of the garden we have planted all the polypetalous plants and in that section are all the gamopetalous plants,” she explains. Though teaching is her primary duty, Ms. Siva Kumari spends time every day keeping track of the growth of the different plants. The college management has been very supportive in developing the botanic gardens, she says.

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• Lakshmanphal tree, the upcountry cousin of Sitaphal, is the proud possession of the college
• Management is supportive in developing the gardens, says Head of Botany B. Siva Kumari