Banksias， Hakeas and Grevilleas are all members of the Proteaceae family， a group of plants that have learnt to thrive in soils with very low nutrientsnutrient adj.有营养的 and in dry conditions. They all have proteoid roots， which are highly developed fine roots that are extremely efficient at using the available nutrients， especially phosphorus and nitrogen. This is why， if you fertilise these plants too heavily in a domestic situation it is very easy to create conditions that become toxic for the plants and may even cause them to die. There is an astonishing diversity in this family of size， shape， foliage and flower. The Coast Banksia Banksia integrifolia for example is a tree that can grow to 20 m， but there is a form that is completely prostrate that will spread across the ground to a diameter of about 4 m.
For a place as cold and frosty as Canberra to play host to plants drawn from right across the country requires some artificial environments. They have a wonderful display glasshouse that contains many hundreds of tropical and sub tropical plant species. The landscape of the Gardens is very informal but very well designed， so that it is very easy to become familiar with Australian plant species. Plants are placed together in botanic groupings or they are gathered so that they represent specific geographic areas. One of the most beautiful parts of the Gardens is the Tasmanain Rainforest Gully.
The first trees were planted in the Gardens a little over 50 years ago in what was an existing eucalypt woodland， so many of the original trees are more than 100 years old. The Gardens were then officially opened in 1970. This institution has always been at the forefront of research， and was one of the first biological centres in the world to make all living plant material and herbariumherbarium n.腊叶集， 干燥标本集 records available via the Internet. The ANBG also plays a crucial role in the conservation of rare and endangered species. Many of the plants here have never been cultivated before. These gardens are a fine example of a living experiment.
The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) aims to increase knowledge， appreciation and enjoyment of Australia，s plant heritage through its scientific collection of living and herbarium specimensspecimen n.范例， 标本， 样品， 样本， 待试验物 of Australian plants.
The Gardens is situated on 90 hectares on the slopes of Black Mountain (Canberra) and provides a significant scientific resource for local， national and international use.
The ANBG provides a significant educational resource through its library and education programs. The library is open to students and the public by appointment or you can search the library catalogue from the library web page.
The Gardens are involved in research into the botany， biology and horticulture of Australian and related plants. Most research takes place within the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research under two programs， the first concentrating on the systematicssystematics (=taxonomy)分类学， 分类(法)， 组织(法) and biogeography of Australian flora， while the second concentrates on the conservation and utilisation of Australian flora. Both the preserved specimens in the Herbarium and the living plants together with the data associated with them are resources for the wider scientific community. Research facilities are not open to the public.
Botanic gardens are scientific and cultural institutions established to collect， study， exchange and display plants for research and for the education and enjoyment of the public. Some botanic gardens have an associated herbarium， which is a scientific collection of dried preserved plant specimens used for research and the accurate classification and identification of plants and plant material. Many recently established gardens operate under the auspicesauspices n.由……主办及赞助 of local government or community groups and have a native plant and conservation focus.
There are major botanic gardens in each capital city， and these are managed by the respective state or territory government， with the exception of Brisbane (which is managed by the City Council) and Canberra (which is managed by the Australian Government). The Booderee Botanic Gardens at Jervis Bay is also managed by the Australian Government on behalf of the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land， the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council， under arrangements in place since December 1995.
The Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens， with its secretariat located at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra， coordinates the liaisonliaison
n.联络， (语音)连音 between the various botanic gardens in Australia and represents these gardens in national and international matters.
The Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria coordinates the liaison between the various herbaria. This body is also responsible for “Australia，s Virtual Herbarium”， a web site which links the databases of all the eight major herbaria and will eventually provide information and locational data for over six million plant specimens on the Internet.
The Australian National Botanic Gardens occupies a 90hectare (ha) site on the lower slopes of Black Mountain in Canberra. It contains the national collection， and one of Australia，s most comprehensivecomprehensive adj.全面的， 广泛的， 能充分理解的， 包容的 displays， of living native plants. Officially opened in 1970， it was proclaimed a Commonwealth Reserve in 1991 and is managed within the framework of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (Cwlth). The Australian National Botanic Gardens maintains about 100，000 living plants constituting about 7，000 species. It receives about 390，000 visitors each year， with peaks in October for the spring flowering and January for the holiday tourist season. It is on the Register of the National Estate in recognition of its importance as a research and teachingbased botanic garden established to display and interpret Australian flora.