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in the city. Originally a Jesuit farm with a hilltop view of Guanabara Bay, the site eventually became the estate of the emperors of Brazil. Today, the park is home to the National Museum and Rio's Zoological Garden. Quinta da Boa Vista is one of the largest and most popular parks in the city, and many of the trees are original to the time of the emperors. Included were many figueiras, a name applied to any number of species of the genus Ficus. The characteristic root flare of these ancient trees gave them away from a distance. We spent the rest of the day touring local neighborhoods in the North Zone, checking the growth and progress of newer street trees in the area. This is one of the most congested and busiest zones of the city, and typical of large cities everywhere, establishing and maintaining street trees is challenging. Overhead utilities present sig- nificant barriers. Nonetheless, shade and flowering trees are abundant, including amendoeira (Terminalia catappa), algodeiro (Hibiscus tiliaceus), and munguba (Pachira aquatica). Palms are commonly used, particularly where planting space is limited. Admirably, there is an emphasis on using species native to the region wherever possible. The following day I was introduced to the staff at the Foundation, including landscape architects, civil engi- neers, biologists, and foresters. The staff of 20 was highly educated, very professional, and as interested as I am in common goals and challenges in arboriculture and urban greening in general. We agreed that our impediments are the same, and probably so everywhere. Urban trees tend to be undervalued, and successfully incorporating them into the fabric of city infrastructure requires strong partnerships. The Foundation office is located in Campo de Santana, another of the many historic parks in the city. Founded in the late 17th century as a military compound, it was transformed into a park in 1873. Over sixty thou- sand individual plants and trees were introduced, many of which are still in existence today. Here again were numerous ancient figueiras, including banyan fig (Ficus religiosa), rubber tree (F. elastica), and Indian laurel (F. microcarpa). Along with the many figuerias, oiti (Licania tomentosa) and sterculia (Sterculia foetida), so named for its unpleasant odor, were prominent. From Campo de Santana, we walked to the Passeio Publico. Built in the 1779, it is the oldest public park in Brazil and one of the oldest in the Americas. Like many parks of the day, the Passeio Publico is a formal garden and includes lawns and trees, interspersed with statues, fountains, moats, and pavilions. Originally intended to The infloresence of Talipo palm (Corypha umbraculifera) is the largest of any plant in the world. One of the largest palms in the world, it flowers only once at maturity, and dies after fruiting. 12 City Trees