茂(mao)物(wu),又名博果爾(er),位(wei)于(yu)印(yin)度尼西亞爪哇島的西部(bu),北距雅加達約56公里。坐落在茂(mao)物(wu)市區的茂(mao)物(wu)植(zhi)物(wu)園(yuan)(yuan),是世界上(shang)著名的、也是大的熱帶植(zhi)物(wu)園(yuan)(yuan)。茂(mao)物(wu)植(zhi)物(wu)園(yuan)(yuan)建(jian)于(yu)1817年,建(jian)在格德(de)山麓和山腰上(shang),面(mian)積約100公頃,包括池沼、庭園(yuan)(yuan)、小丘(qiu)等,芝(zhi)利翁河蜿蜒于(yu)園(yuan)(yuan)內,流往雅加達。
茂物(wu)植(zhi)物(wu)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)景(jing)很美,主要是以水網(wang)貫穿(chuan)全園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan),人(ren)工湖(hu)(hu)四周是一大亮(liang)點,湖(hu)(hu)體(ti)由高(gao)處(chu)筑堤蓄水,引渠灌溉全園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan),湖(hu)(hu)面栽睡蓮數叢(cong),水鴨浮水,靜中有動。湖(hu)(hu)東(dong)為白色總(zong)統別墅,府前(qian)一片大草地,亭(ting)立幾(ji)叢(cong)綠樹(shu),色彩對比濃重、清新莊重,自對岸遠眺,格外動人(ren)。湖(hu)(hu)下臺(tai)地設(she)有王蓮池,低處(chu)又(you)設(she)谷地園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)林(lin),層層變化。園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)內丘陵坡地以卵石(shi)為徑,峰回(hui)路轉,高(gao)低錯落,景(jing)中有景(jing)。
這里的(de)(de)(de)(de)自然環(huan)境堪稱(cheng)世界少(shao)有,年(nian)均(jun)溫最(zui)低21.4℃;最(zui)高30.2℃,一年(nian)無(wu)四季之(zhi)分(fen)(fen),冬(dong)、夏(xia)室(shi)內無(wu)人使用空調。通常濕度較高,年(nian)平(ping)(ping)均(jun)雨(yu)(yu)量4330毫米(mi),年(nian)平(ping)(ping)均(jun)雨(yu)(yu)日233天,故(gu)有“雨(yu)(yu)城”之(zhi)稱(cheng),但雨(yu)(yu)旱(han)季區分(fen)(fen)不(bu)明(ming)顯。這里的(de)(de)(de)(de)土壤(rang)極肥沃,pH6~7,地(di)表(biao)為(wei)火(huo)山(shan)灰覆蓋。一般在下午暴雨(yu)(yu)之(zhi)后,次日放晴(qing),草(cao)地(di)上即可(ke)躺臥(wo),所(suo)以園內只有湖邊才設置座椅。在這里,生物(wu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)多樣性(xing)得到了充分(fen)(fen)的(de)(de)(de)(de)展現,白(bai)天寄(ji)居(ju)在屋頂的(de)(de)(de)(de)平(ping)(ping)尾燕子飛行不(bu)絕(jue),冬(dong)夏(xia)不(bu)離;晚間大蝙蝠分(fen)(fen)工消滅蚊蠅(ying),白(bai)天則懸(xuan)掛樹梢恪盡(jin)職守。植(zhi)物(wu)園的(de)(de)(de)(de)特點之(zhi)一就是要(yao)求植(zhi)物(wu)種類多而與公園相(xiang)區別,因而早(zao)期(qi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)植(zhi)物(wu)學家偏向(xiang)于選擇自然環(huan)境優越的(de)(de)(de)(de)地(di)方為(wei)園址不(bu)無(wu)道(dao)理,但像(xiang)茂物(wu)這樣的(de)(de)(de)(de)勝(sheng)境確實(shi)太難得了。
公元(yuan)17~18世(shi)紀,植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)學在(zai)歐洲蓬勃(bo)興起(qi),植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)園(yuan)脫穎而出成(cheng)為植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)學重要的(de)(de)分支。隨著植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)資源的(de)(de)擴(kuo)大(da)(da)利用,植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)園(yuan)在(zai)世(shi)界上(shang)的(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)立(li)(li)與發展如同雨(yu)后春筍(sun)。其中(zhong),英(ying)國(guo)皇家(jia)邱(qiu)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)園(yuan),由于得(de)到(dao)(dao)政(zheng)府巨額資金(jin)的(de)(de)支持(chi),多(duo)年來陸續建(jian)(jian)立(li)(li)起(qi)各種類(lei)型的(de)(de)溫(wen)室(shi),使栽培植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)達到(dao)(dao)8萬多(duo)種和變種,另(ling)外(wai)還(huan)搜集了數百萬份標本以及大(da)(da)量的(de)(de)圖片資料,培養了大(da)(da)量的(de)(de)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)人材(cai),使植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)分類(lei)學得(de)到(dao)(dao)深入發展,并在(zai)國(guo)際上(shang)贏得(de)盛譽。邱(qiu)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)園(yuan)始建(jian)(jian)不久,歐洲植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)學家(jia)又隨著資本主義(yi)的(de)(de)擴(kuo)張,背井離鄉去探索熱帶(dai)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)的(de)(de)奧(ao)秘,他們先后在(zai)印尼、印度、斯里蘭卡等城鎮建(jian)(jian)立(li)(li)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)園(yuan),但其中(zhong)唯有印尼茂物(wu)(wu)(wu)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)園(yuan)堅持(chi)不斷擴(kuo)建(jian)(jian)和充實,受(shou)到(dao)(dao)政(zheng)府重視,故此長(chang)盛不衰。