Funded by the Global Botanic Garden Fund via the Leon Levy Foundation

Project Completed: 2024

Institution: Jardin Botánico de Santiago “Profesor Eugenio de Jesús Marcano Foundeur”

Conservation of the endemic palms of the Dominican Republic of the genus Coccothrinax in the Botanical Garden of Santiago

Introduction

This project is to help conserve the palms of the genus Coccothrinax by collecting genetic material from 13 of the 16 species on the island of Hispaniola.

Project Goals

Collect seeds and seedlings from natural locations for one year, conduct horticultural trials for propagation and germination studies and germinate seeds for ex situ collections.

Key Achievements

12 trips were made to collect seeds and observe phenological patterns. Germination tests on various substrates and seed cleaning techniques were performed- including tests were to determine the ideal time to put the seeds to germinate. Over 12,000 seeds were placed in germination chambers; many of which have germinated. The transplanted seedlings are in the process of growth, waiting for their ideal size to
be planted both in the living collections of the garden, and in other places of interest and conservation.

Only seven out of the 13 proposed species were treated but there are plans in the next months/years, to obtain genetic resources from all of them. No seeds have been stored yet due to lack of operational seed bank and there being no known germination tests for these species to determine whether they are orthodox or recalcitrant seeds.