Eleutharrhena macrocarpa, an Endangered Species in China 

In 2020 the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (XTBG) received a grant as part of the The Anthony Hitchcock Species Recovery Fund. The fund’s aim is to support institutions carrying out threatened plant species reintroductions and recovery for their long-term survival in the wild in honour of Anthony Hitchcock who committed his life to the conservation of endangered plants in southern Africa. 

The project “Determining Genetic Diversity of Eleutharrhena macrocarpa, an Endangered Species in China” was successfully led by Song Shi Jie and Sven Landrein and was completed in 2021. 

The aims of the project were to use the SCoT (Start Codon Targeted Polymorphism) method to test the level of genetic diversity of Eleutharrhena macrocarpa, to form the basis of future work in ex situ conservation and reintroduction the species, as well as building conservation expertise in XTBG and SE Asia.  

The project team reported 20 populations of Eleutharrhena macrocarpa in southern Yunnan and successfully produced new individuals by using the cutting method.  

“This is the first time to systematically report the existing individuals of endangered Eleutharrhena macrocarpa, those fundamental data will benefit for practical management of the species” 

As a result, the XTBG living collection will be enhanced by the addition of an emblematic, nutritional, medicinal and ornamental species. 

See Song Shi Jie and Sven Landrein in the field talking about this emblematic species.