Scientific Exploration of the Calicut University Botanical Garden Exhibition
On 28 November 2025, the PG and Research Department of Botany, KAHM Unity Women’s College, Manjeri, conducted an educational visit to the Calicut University Botanical Garden Exhibition as part of its experiential learning initiatives in plant sciences. The visit was designed to enhance student’s understanding of plant diversity, conservation biology and the ecological relevance of various taxonomic groups. A total of 80 students from the Second and Sixth Semester B.Sc. Botany and Third Semester M.Sc. Botany programmes participated in the field visit. During the programme, students explored multiple specialized sections of the botanical garden including the Ginger Villa, Cacti & Succulent House, Fern House, Medicinal Plant House, Aquatic Plants Collection, Epiphytes, Bamboosetum and the Jungle Path. Each section represented distinct ecological niches and adaptive strategies, offering students an opportunity to study diverse plant groups in controlled and semi-natural habitats.
The visit enabled students to closely examine major plant groups such as gymnosperms, pteridophytes, bryophytes, epiphytes, aquatic plants and various angiosperms. Through systematic observation, students documented morphological characters, structural adaptations and ecological interactions, thereby deepening their understanding of plant taxonomy, evolutionary relationships and habitat-specific adaptations. The conserved collections also highlighted the significance of protecting rare, endemic and threatened species, reinforcing the role of botanical gardens in plant conservation and ex situ preservation. The educational visit substantially enhanced student’s practical competencies in botany. It provided an effective platform for integrating theoretical knowledge with real-world observations, fostering scientific curiosity and encouraging further exploration in biodiversity conservation and ecological research. The programme successfully achieved its learning objectives and contributed to strengthening field-based botanical education.
