A)  Herbarium and Museum:

The Herbarium and Museum was established in the Botany Department in 1967 and is presently housed in a separate building adjacent to the department. The ground floor of the building is devoted to the Museum whereas the first floor to the Herbarium. In the museum, the materials are displayed group-wise in museum jars and show-cases numbering more than 2050. In this section large number of specimens of cultivated plants of Punjab showing symptoms of common diseases are preserved. Photographs of Indian medicinal plants, exotic cacti, Indian forest types, mushrooms and individual trees are also displayed. Fossil specimens of Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms are also procured for study purposes. A separate section is made for economic plants. Species of important timbers of Punjab showing annual growth rings are also displayed. Besides, research publications and books published from the department are also displayed for consultation by the researchers. Plants for museum are collected from the Eastern and Western Himalayas, Punjab and adjoining states, Okha Port, Rameshwaram, Kodai Kanal, Ooty, Palghat, Pachmarhi, Mysore, Calicut, Valley of flowers, Darjeeling, Hem Kunt, Badri Nath, Kinnaur, Kedar Nath, Gangotri, Rohtang Pass, Churdhar Peak, Yamunotri, Kashmir Valley, Mt. Abu, Chakrata, etc. The herbarium is considered as one of the best amongst the Indian Universities. It has been recognized by the International Bureau of Plant Taxonomy, Netherlands with PUN as its abbreviation. It has a collection of nearly 45,000 Angiosperms, 4600 Pteridophytes, 2,500 Fungi and 600 Algal specimens which are well preserved/mounted, identified and catalogued. The angiosperm flora is separated into two sections as Monocots and Dicots, and is further arranged according to Bentham and Hooker's system of classification. The herbarium is especially rich in collection of Indian Pteridophytes which are arranged according to Jermey and Crabe's system of classifications.

 

Pictures of Herbarium and Museum:

   

 

B)  Photo Gallery:

Botanical photo gallery, a unique feature of the department, is housed on the top floor of the Herbarium & Museum building of the department. It has been divided into ten sections which include Agriculture, Indian forests, Plants and Human Welfare, Poisonous plants, Ornamental plants, Sacred plants, Ferns, Fungal Diversity, Rare and Endangered plants and Horticulture. Nearly 300 photographs have been displayed in these sections. In the Gallery there is a separate section for the display of portraits of eminent scientists. Paintings show the history of vegetation in various geological eras.

Pictures of Photo Gallery

   

 

C) Botanic Garden:

The Botanic Garden attached to the department is well laid and spread over an area of 12 hectares of land with sound underground irrigation facilities, concrete roads and zigzag paths. The major plantations in the garden are on the basis of Bentham and Hooker's Natural System of Classification of plants'. About half of the area of garden is under 'Arboretum' where broad-leaved indigenous and exotic trees, high altitudinal conifers and flowering trees of aesthetic and recreational values along with timber trees occupy a place of prominence. The plant wealth of the garden includes 450 species of trees, shrubs and climbers from various regions of Himalayas and other parts of the country. Each plant is provided with a name plate, giving information about the botanical name, family and country of origin. Two green houses, one glass house and a tropical plant house are of special interests which have a fairly good collection of succulents, ferns and other shade-loving plants. The Tropical plant house stands out as good attraction which has facilities for providing artificial rain. The Rosarium has a collection of 48 types of roses and Bougainvillea garden houses 36 types of Bougainvilleas. The desert garden has a collection of over 60 cacti and succulents. The chrysanthemum section has more than 50 cultivars.

Pictures of Botanic Garden:

   

 

 

D) Plant Conservatory:

In order to conserve the vanishing flora of the Punjab State, a plant conservatory was established on September 17th, 1976 in the Botanic gardens which is spread over 10 hectares of land and is a research oriented project. In addition to the conservation of germplasm of indigenous and exotic plant wealth, major emphasis is being given to the collection of economic and timber trees along with introduced flora and the successfully established species are being given for cultivation to the various Universities, Colleges and Schools of the state and outside.

 

E) Poly-House, Net-House:

Ministry of Environment & Forests, New Delhi has provided a grant of Rs. 13 lac for the Improvement of Infrastructure facilities existing in the Botanical Gardens of Punjabi University, Patiala. One Poly-House and one Net-House have been developed in the conservatory of the department. Poly house is air-cooled, temperature regulated with mist spray to control and maintain relative humidity. Poly-house is meant for Micro-propagation and conservation of rare and endangered plant species. Net-house is also equipped with automatic mist spray system and is suitable for hardening of plant species.

Pictures of Poly-House, Net-House

 

 

F) Herbal Garden:

A well laid out herbal garden has been established in the plant conservatory section with about 100 medicinal plants.

G)  Departmental Library:

About 8,000 books of botany and allied subjects are available in the Departmental library. Nearly 20 journals are available to the researchers. On-line facility for other journals is also available.

H) Central Instrumentation Lab:

All the main research equipments are kept in fully Air-Conditioned centralized lab. Entry in the logbooks by the research workers is obligatory. Instruments are used by teachers, research scholars and M. Sc. & M. Phil. students of Botany Department as well as scientists from other departments such as Biotechnology, Zoology, Human Biology and Pharmaceutical Studies of this University, teachers and students of Thapar college of Engineering and Technology, Patiala and various Degree Colleges of Patiala. In another room, the distillation units and instruments to be operated at room temperature are kept.

Photographs of Central Instumentation Laboratory

 

I) Research Labs:

Independent Molecular Genetics lab, Mycology and Plant Pathology Lab, Algal Physiology lab, Internet access lab and sophisticated Instrumentation lab has been established in the Department through funds received under ASIST and SAP Programmes of UGC and FIST Programme of DST.

Research Labs