Question

The largest collection of herbarium in India is
A. Central National Herbarium, Kolkata
B. Southern Circle Herbarium, Coimbatore
C. Central Circle Herbarium, Allahabad
D. Blatter Herbarium, Mumbai

Answer 1

A herbarium is defined as a collection of preserved plant specimens with their various parts such as leaves, flowers and their related data that can be used for scientific studies.

**Complete answer :** A herbarium is a preserved reference of collection of plants which serves as an important collection of data related to plants. It is very vital for various different areas of science especially related to plants. The herbarium acts as a source of information about plants as well as different features of plant like plant distribution, ecology or usage of plants for medicinal purposes.
A herbarium can be used to discover or help to confirm the identity of a plant and to determine its scientific taxonomy.
The Central National Herbarium in Kolkata has the largest collection of herbarium in India. It is situated in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, near Kolkata. It is also known as the Calcutta Herbarium. It is famous for the enormous collection of orchids, bamboo, and palms and other exotic varieties of plants such as the plants of the screw pine genus.
It was founded in 1787 by the East India Company for the purpose of exposure to new varieties of plants for commercial value and growing spices for trade. William Roxburgh in 1793 brought plants from all over India and developed an extensive herbarium. This collection of dried plants specimens eventually came to be known as Central National Herbarium of the Botanical Survey of India. The herbarium comprises more than two millions items. The different types of items in the Central National Herbarium are nearly three hundred and fifty families of higher plants and are arranged following Bentham and Hooker’s system of classification.
Apart from this, the institute contains a good collection of drawings as well as cryptogramic collections that includes algae, fungi, lichens, bryophytes and pteridophytes.

Hence, the option A. The Central National Herbarium, Kolkata is the correct option.

Note: The Central National Herbarium in Kolkata is the largest and one of the oldest herbarium in India. It was established during the British period and holds several plant species, drawings and specimens.