THE PHILIPPINE 
Journal of Science 
C. Botany 
VOL. VII 
DECEMBER, 1912 
No. 6 
THE PINEDA MONUMENT AND THE PROBABLE SITE OF THE 
FIRST BOTANIC GARDEN IN THE PHILIPPINES. 
By E. D. Merrill.* 
{From the Botanical Section of the Biological Laboratory, Bureau of Science, 
Manila, P. /. 
The Pineda monument probably localized the first botanic 
garden to be established in the Philippines, and one of the first 
in the Orient, although an institution long since forgotten. The 
monument was erected in 1792 to the memory of Antonio Pi- 
neda who, up to his death, was in charge of the natural history 
investigations of the Malaspina Expedition. As the monument 
has now been destroyed it has been considered advisable to 
reproduce what is probably the only picture of it extant, to com- 
pile what is definitely known regarding Pineda, and at the 
same time to correct some misconceptions regarding the nature 
of his work. 
The Malaspina Expedition, so called from its commander. 
Captain Alejandro Malaspina, was dispatched by the Spanish 
Government, and was one of the first great scientific and explor- 
ing expeditions sent out by the various European nations. 
Montero ^ states that the frigates Descuhierta and Atrevida, 
which made up the squadron, were thoroughly equipped with 
instruments and with scientific literature, for astronomical, 
mathematical, and physical research, as well as for investiga- 
tions in natural history. The ships left Cadiz, Spain, July 30, 
* Associate Professor of Botany, University of the Philippines. 
‘Hist. Filip. 2 (1894) 321. 
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