Rescue and Restoration: Experimental Translocation of Amorpha herbacea Walter var. crenulata (Rybd.) Isley into a Novel Urban Habitat

Though translocations of rare populations should be considered only as the last resort for species’ conservation, when habitat destruction is imminent, it may be the only means to preserve a species. With over half the known, wild federally endangered Crenulate leadplant (Amorpha herbacea var. crenulata), Fabaceae, growing on unprotected land slated for development, preserving this unprotected population was critical. We rescued whole plants, cuttings, and seeds for an experimental translocation. Into a restored pine rockland, once dominated by the invasive exotic tree Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), we transplanted plants from different sources and of different sizes. Plants used were rescued from an unprotected site, seedlings, and 1‐, 2‐, and 7‐year‐old plants from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s ex situ collection, creating a novel population in a new habitat. We also evaluated which propagule type and source had the best survival, growth, and reproduction. After 40 months, overall transplant survival was 71%. Large whole plants, rescued and nursery grown, had the best survival rates (86 and 78%), whereas cuttings had 67% survival and seedlings had only 26% survival. The restored site, once nearly a monoculture of S. terebinthifolius, is now dominated by 104 native plant species, including 17 naturally recruited state listed, plus the one translocated federally endangered plant species. In addition, one federally threatened snake species was observed on the site. These studies demonstrate that botanic garden collections not only play a vital role in the conservation of species’ genetic diversity but also can be used as source material for habitat restoration.     

Plant Hunting Expeditions of David Fairchild to The Bahamas

The plant hunting expeditions made by David Fairchild on board the research boat Utowana represented some of the most important contributions in the history of plant exploration. These expeditions targeted all the continents except Australia and Antarctica and provided germplasm for the United States Department of Agriculture. As part of our current research to document the details and outputs of David Fairchild’s plant hunting expeditions, in this paper we present an account pertinent to the three trips that he made to The Bahamas. Two of these trips were on board the Utowana and were part of larger expeditions that David Fairchild undertook to the West Indies, Central America and the Guianas between December 1931 and April 1933. No plant material was collected on the third trip when David Fairchild and his wife flew to Nassau in April 1939. We believe that the main focus of this last trip was to meet with Anne Archbold to make arrangements for the Chêng Ho expedition to the East Indies. This Asian endeavor was the only major expedition undertaken by David Fairchild to collect plant material for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (FTBG). During the Bahamian expedition eleven islands/cays were visited, 94 germplasm accessions (73 species) were collected, and 132 photographs were taken. Our research has been largely based on documents and photographs that belonged to David Fairchild and that are deposited at the Library and Archives of FTBG. “The more than ten years that I spent in the office that Fairchild founded for our Department of Agriculture made me a great admirer of Dr. Fairchild and to appreciate even more the work that he, Wilson Popenoe, and others in the Division had done for our country. Among their accomplishments was the encouragement or establishment as a crop or industry the date, fig, avocado, mango, pistachio, and other lesser known crops. These explorers were also concerned with introducing germ plasm, or breeding stock, for the improvement of traditional field crops, vegetables, and fruit plants, as well as the introduction and establishment of ornamental and other economic plants such as bamboos and Meyer’s Zoysia grass.” [Donovan Correll, from his unpublished autobiography “Notes from a Singing Plant Explorer," January 1983 (Korber et al., 2013)].     

The Bahamian Flora: Plant Exploration,Living Collections,and DNA – A Journey Started in 1963

Dr. John Popenoe was Director of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (FTBG) between 1963 and 1989. Dr. Popenoe was a strong supporter of the Bahamian flora, and in 1963 he obtained extramural funds to develop a living collection focusing on Bahamian plants that was established in FTBG. During his tenure FTBG supported the publication of the latest comprehensive flora of this archipelago. A project initiated by the first FTBG herbarium curator, William Gillis, but published by Donovan and Helen Correll (with illustrations of Priscilla Fawcett) in 1982. This living collection of Bahamian plants has supplied plant material for molecular phylogenetic studies worldwide. There are DNA phylogenies for only 10 of the 89 Bahamian endemics; most of the material of these phylogenies came from plants from these collections (three species) and/or from fragments of herbarium specimens collected by Donovan Correll (six species). Only two of the species included in these phylogenies are from collections unrelated to FTBG. Excluding species restricted to the Bahamas, material from 14 Caribbean Island endemics that are part of these collections has been used in phylogenetic studies. The available molecular phylogenies show that the Bahamian endemics are closely related to species from the West Indies or continental areas of the Caribbean Basin. There is also a paucity of population genetic studies based on DNA markers focusing on Bahamian plants. Only two of the four available population genetic studies are for a Bahamian endemic taxon.     

782. EMMENOPTERYS HENRYI

The Chinese tree Emmenopterys henryi is described and illustrated based on the rare blooming of a specimen at Cambridge University Botanic Garden in summer 2012. Other known flowerings in cultivation are reviewed with particular reference to Britain. The origin of the Cambridge tree, propagated from an original introduction at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and distributed in the early 1980s is discussed. Based on original herbarium collections and archive material the discovery and introduction of this species into cultivation is reviewed.     

A Taxonomic Revision on Genus Aristolochia Subgenus Pararistolochia

Aristolochia Subgen. Pararistolochia ( Hutch. & Dalz. ) O. C. Schmidt, a smallest one among so far known three subgenera in the genus, often treated as a separate genus, is composed of only nine species from Tropical Africa (8 species)and Tropical Asia ( l species). This work deals mainly with the system and taxonomic treatment as well as distribution based on the herbarium materials form British Museum (Natural History) (BM), National Botanical Garden of Belgium(BR), Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew(K) and Laboratoire de Phanerogamie of Paris(P). Three sections in the subgenus are described as new by the number of anthers and its arrangement. Also two names, Pararistolochia zenkeri (Engl.) Hutch. & Dalz. and P. macrocarpa (Duch.) Poncy var. soyauxiana(Oliv. )Poncy, are reduced to synonyms of A. macrocarpa Duch.; andone name, A. preussii Engl., is reduced to a synonym of A. promissa Mast.     

Towards integrated conservation of Australian endangered plants—the Western Australian model

Four percent of the Australian flora is rare and endangered with over 100 taxa presumed extinct. Western Australia contains a large proportion of the endangered flora of Australia with 238 taxa in a critical state of conservation and 70 species presumed extinct. Kings Park and Botanic Garden in south-west Australia is responsible for developing specialized collections of rare and endangered indigenous flora. Macro-and micropropagation procedures are used including conventional cutting and seed propagation, grafting and in thein vitro programme whole seeds (asymbiotic and symbiotic germination), excised seed embryos, shoot apices and inflorescence sections. Wherever possible explants are collected from major provenances of the species and a wide cross section of a species population. Although many of the rare flora of Western Australia are now in theex situ collection maintained by Kings Park and Botanic Garden attempts are being made to develop slow growth storage forin vitro cultures and cryostorage. Trial recovery programmes have commenced with a number of species including the rare and endangered Purdie's donkey orchid (Diuris purdiei). Results of these recovery programmes will guide future efforts in conserving and recovering rare Australian species.     

Host plant range of Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) in areas of invasion of the New World

Raoiella indica has spread rapidly through the Neotropical region where the mite damages economically and ecologically important plants. Three studies were conducted to determine the host plant range of R. indica, using the presence of colonies containing all life stages as an indicator of reproductive suitability. Periodic surveys at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (Miami Dade County, FL, USA) and the Royal Botanical Gardens (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) identified 27 new reproductive host plants. The reproductive suitability of two dicotyledonous species and three native Florida palm species was examined. An updated list of reproductive host plants of R. indica is presented. All reported reproductive hosts (91 plant species) of R. indica are monocots from the orders Arecales (Arecaceae), Zingiberales (Heliconiaceae, Musaceae, Strelitziaceae, Zingiberaceae) and Pandanales (Pandanaceae). Most are palms of the family Arecaceae that originated in areas of the Eastern Hemisphere; about one fourth of the reported hosts are native to the New World and could be considered new host associations of R. indica. Six years after the initial detection in the Caribbean, R. indica has expanded its host plant range. Here we report 27 new reproductive host of R. indica that represent 30% of increase on previous host plant records. As this mite continues spreading in the Neotropical region a great diversity of plants is potentially affected.     

中国哥纳香属(番荔枝科)植物新资料

番荔枝科(Annonaceae)是基部被子植物木兰目(Magnoliales)中较进化且物种数最多的科。目前的系统发育研究将番荔枝科划分为4个亚科,即蒙蒿子亚科(Anaxagoreoideae)、澄光木亚科(Ambavioideae)、番荔枝亚科(Annonoideae)和排石木亚科(Malmeoideae),有107属,2 400多种,中国原产21 属约110 种。番荔枝科泛热带分布,是热带植物区系的优势类群,中国云南盈江位于云南省最西部边境,与缅甸东北部接壤,并与印度的东阿萨姆较近,植物区系处于东南亚(印度—马来西亚)热带生物区系向东亚亚热带-温带生物区系的过渡地带,属典型热带北缘性质,在植被地理和生物地理上十分重要,成为生物多样性保护的关键和热点地区。该区的热带雨林是印度阿萨姆和缅甸北部的热带雨林向东和向北扩散分布的边缘类型,是东南亚热带雨林在纬度和海拔分布上的极限类型。该文报道了采自中国云南省盈江县,引种保存于中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园的番荔枝科哥纳香属2个中国新记录种,即皱叶哥纳香 [Goniothalamus sesquipedalis(Colebr. ex Wall.)Hook. f. & Thomson]和长梗哥纳香(G. peduncularis King & Prain)。Flora of China将盈江哥纳香(G. lii X. L. Hou & Y. M. Shui)处理为云南哥纳香(G. yunnanensis W. T. Wang)的异名,基于活植物观察、馆藏标本和文献研究,该文对盈江哥纳香的分类地位进行了澄清,将其处理为长梗哥纳香的异名。皱叶哥纳香原记载产于印度、孟加拉国和缅甸等地,长梗哥纳香仅产于缅甸,该文对它们进行了补充描述,并提供彩色图版以便于鉴别。凭证标本存放于中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园标本馆(HITBC)。哥纳香属2个新记录的发现,丰富了中国番荔枝科植物多样性的认识,为中国云南热带植物区系属于热带亚洲(印度—马来西亚)植物区系,以及与缅甸北部、印度东北部植物区系的关系增加了例证。     

Molecular systematic studies in cycads: Evidence fromtrnL Intron and ITS2 rDNA sequences

The results of a pilot DNA sequencing study of cycads conducted at the new molecular systematics laboratory at Fairchild Tropical Garden are presented and assessed with reference to previous phylogenetic analyses and classification schemes based on morphology and anatomy. Two DNA regions were sequenced and analyzed for variation, an intron in the trriL gene in the chloroplast genome (trriL intron) and the internal transcribed spacer region between the 5.8S and 26S ribosomal DNA subunits (ITS2). The trnL intron proved to be relatively conservative among cycad genera, while the ITS2 region contained higher levels of variation. Parsimony analysis of the sequences suggests a number of relationships, some of which were inferred by previous morphological studies, some of which are new. The sequences ofCycas are the most divergent among cycads, suggesting the longest isolation.Dioon is relatively isolated from the other genera and contains two major clades.Stangeria does not appear closely related toBowenia but does seem to have a weak affinity withZamia andMicrocycas. Lepidozamia is more closely related toEncephalartos than toMacrozamia. Sequence variation among the species ofCeratozamia is low.Microcycas andZamia are closely related.     

I macromiceti dell'Orto Botanico di Pisa

Abstract

Macromycetes in the Botanic Garden of Pisa. – 78 Macromycetes collected in the Botanic Garden of Pisa have been listed; 40 of them are new for the province of Pisa, and 11 for the whole of Tuscany.     

长苞刺蕊草,印度刺蕊草属(唇形科)植物一新记录种

报道了印度唇形科刺蕊草属一新记录种:长苞刺蕊草,该种在印度产于阿萨姆邦,凭证标本保存于英国皇家植物园爱丁堡植物园标本馆(E)。在形态特征上,该种与中国特有的北刺蕊草相似,但其茎叶被糙硬毛、花萼呈近管状等特征与之相异。     

Criteria for assessing Italian <Emphasis Type="Italic">ex situ</Emphasis> collections of threatened plants

The ex situ conservation of plant species is a challenge for all signatories of the Convention on Biological Diversity to meet. In Italy, all conservation-related issues are supervised by the Ministry for the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea, but so far no national plan has been drafted, let alone funded, for ex situ plant conservation. As a contribution towards the establishment of a scientifically based policy, a national project has been launched, under the coordination of the Botanic Garden of Palermo. In its framework, the Botanic Garden of Pisa is developing a set of criteria for assessing Italian ex situ collections of threatened plant species. The criteria will be applied to datasets obtained by the Italian seedbanks through questionnaires. Requested data include resources and procedures, documentation systems, facilities and accessions. The expected results consist of the production of printed or electronic material concerning a) the technical-scientific profile of the Italian seed banks and of their collections; b) the ecogeographic profile of seed collections of selected species and c) the evaluation of the method used for gathering and analysing data. The project is currently under way and the results are due by September 2010. The documents and protocols which will be produced within the project will enable a stronger interaction of the Italian seed banks with other national and European seed bank networks.     

Dr Patrick Neill's herbarium of Scottish garden plants in the National Botanic Gardens,Glasnevin, Dublin (DBN)

Summary

Specimens (ex herb. William McNab) collected by Dr Patrick Neill (1776–1851), of Canonmills, Edinburgh, in his own garden and other Scottish gardens (including the Botanic Garden, Edinburgh), c. 1799–1805, are noted and catalogued. Some represent horticultural hybrids of local origin, and a few specimens originated from seeds captured from French naturalists during the Napoleonic Wars.     

Morphology and phylogeny reveal a novel hydnoid taxon from India: Mycorrhaphoides stalpersii gen. and sp. nov

Mycorrhaphoides gen. nov. and Mycorrhaphoides stalpersii sp. nov. are described and defined based on morphological details and phylogenetic inference of a hydnoid macrofungus collected in Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah (India). It is characterized by stipitate basidiomata with duplex context in stipe, presence of multi‐clamped septa, and smooth and hyaline cystidia.     

中国球兰属一新记录种——披针叶球兰

首次报到中国球兰属(Hoya R. Br.)一新记录种——披针叶球兰 (Hoya lanceolata Wall. ex D. Don), 该种原记载产自尼泊尔、印度、缅甸、泰国和越南。2018年该种在中国云南西部的铜壁关省级自然保护区发现有分布,凭证标本保存在HITBC。     

中国瓜馥木属(番荔枝科)一新记录种

报道了中国番荔枝科瓜馥木属(Annonaceae:Fissistigma)一新记录种——瘤果瓜馥木[F.thorelii(Pierre ex FinetGagnep.)Merr.]。该种在中国产于云南省红河县,凭证标本保存在西双版纳热带植物园标本馆(HITBC)。该种的主要特征是幼枝、花、果均被褐色粗短硬毛,且果实表面布满瘤状突起。     

中国被子植物2新记录种——团花密花藤和珠芽秋海棠

该文首次报道了发现于云南德宏州的2个中国新记录种—团花密花藤(Pycnarrhena pleniflora Miers ex Hook.f. Thomson)和珠芽秋海棠(Begonia gemmipara Hook.f. Thomson)。结合原始文献、模式标本及其野外调查对其形态特征进行补充描述,凭证标本保存在中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园标本馆(HITBC)。     

850. MYRCEUGENIA LEPTOSPERMOIDES

Though extremely rare in British and Irish gardens, the South American genus Myrceugenia shows great horticultural potential and a number of species have entered cultivation in the last four decades, primarily through the efforts of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. Two of the showiest of these, Myrceugenia lanceolata and Myrceugenia leptospermoides, both Chilean endemics, are discussed.     

中国凤仙花属(凤仙花科)一新记录种——高大凤仙花

报道了中国凤仙花属一新记录种——高大凤仙花(Impatiens kerriae Craib)。该种原产于泰国,在中国为首次记录。该文对高大凤仙花的特征进行了详细描述,尤其是对花果特征及花果期进行了重新描述和补充。凭证标本存放于中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园标本馆(HITBC)。