HERBARIA OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AGRICULTURE OHRADA

HERBARIA OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AGRICULTURE – OHRADA

National Museum of Agriculture in Ohrada keeps some very interesting regional herbaria. Many were created at Schwarzenberg estates by either still active or retired employees of the Schwarzenbergs. Perhaps the most valuable for botanists is the Cryptogamische Schmarotzerpflanzen auf Forstgewächsen, a herbarium in three volumes created in 1845–1847 by Jakub Jungbauer (1785–1852), timber-floating inspector for the Schwarzenbergs in Zlatá Koruna.

The largest herbarium collection kept in Ohrada is the 100-volume herbarium based on the botanical activity of Christian Casimir Brittinger (1795–1869). Each volume is kept in contemporary carton folder labelled Ex herbario Brittingeriano. In addition to specimens collected by Brittinger, which form most of the collection, the herbarium also includes plants collected and prepared by other European and other international botanists. These were acquired mainly by mutual exchange organised by the Viennese Botanical Exchange Association, which was an important hub for such activities.

Early twentieth century is represented by the work of Vilém Hirsch (1887–1959), whose 43 volumes are characterised by highly precise records of collection sites in the Bohemian Forest. Hirsch’s work is supplemented by a unique collection of dried mushrooms in cardboard boxes. Vojtěch Mareš (1862–1932), head gardener for the Schwarzenbergs and manager of nurseries, focused in his ten-volume herbarium Systematische Zusammenstelung der in Österreich ohne oder unter leichtem Schutz im freien Lande ausdauernden Laubholzarten und Formen, created most likely in 1912, on deciduous woody plants.