 The
Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Conservatory Complex
consists of the Wertheim Conservatory Glasshouse, The Wertheim Case-Study Auditorium,
the Biology Department Research Greenhouse, and the Bioclimatron. The Complex
is situated on the University Park Campus of Florida International University,
the State University of Florida at Miami. The Complex is under the direction
of the Department of Biological Sciences and the curator is
Mr. Steve Turner, M.S.
Purpose:
The Conservatory is a public display of rain
forest plant species from around the world with the intent to display tropical
species that can not be grown outside in the Miami climate. The Conservatory
is currently used for public viewing, teaching, and for informal gatherings.
Size:
The Conservatory is 42 feet (13 m) high at
the tallest point. The floor dimensions are 60' x 52' providing 3,120 square
feet of in the ground planting space.
The Collection:
Currently the collection contains plants of
33 families, 127 genera, and 195 species from the tropics worldwide. The long-term
goal is to include wild-collected specimens only in the collection. Plants have
originated largely from donations. The primary donors include:
- Fairchild Tropical Garden
- Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Tropical Treasures Nursery (Rick Matee)
- Professor David W. Lee
- Professor Suzanne Koptur
- Professor Steven F. Oberbauer
History:
The Conservatory was the vision of Dr. Herbert
and Nicole Wertheim who donated funds for the construction of the Conservatory
and the Auditorium in 1990. State funds matched the donation. The construction
started in 1991. The glass house was constructed by National Greenhouse Company,
Atlanta, Georgia. The glasshouse was nearly complete in August 1992 when it
was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew. The crushed Conservatory was featured on
the cover of the Chronicle of Higher Education in Fall 1992.
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