Ex situ conservation of geophytes species from the Iberian Peninsula at the Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC (RJB)

Project: Completed 2021

Funded by The Global Botanic Garden Fund (GBGF)

Project Partner: Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC (RJB)

Geophyte plants are very important in the Mediterranean region because their biological cycle is well adapted to the Mediterranean climate. In Spain there are 168 species from the botanical families Liliaceae, Amaryllidaceae and Iridacea, some of them rare and endemic to Spain. Many of these species are threatened. The aim of this project is to create accessible ex situ collections of wild seeds and the placing in the living collection of these threatened species at the RJB and the Seed Bank (BGVMA). The collections will be extremely useful for conservation, restoration projects and even in education and public awareness.

Project Goals

• To collect seeds of geophytes threatened in the Amarillydaceae, Iridaceae and Liliaceae Families.
• To study the optimum germination conditions.
• To store them in the BGVMA and to send a duplicate of accessions to other seed Bank within the AIMJB.
• To develop a living bulbs collection for exhibition, education, conservation and restoration purposes.

Due to the dry year, many of the taxa selected did not bloom and produce seeds, even not appearing. A number of classic localities were visited where we had seen the species in the past and we could not find any individual. Therefore, it was decided to collect as much as possible seeds from others species within the three families that were not included in the initial list presented and in the future the list will be completed. The field trips were organized and adjusted to the time of seeds maturity and to collect more than one species.

Key Achievements

The project has contributed to improve to conserve species from Amarillydaceae, Iridaceae and Liliacea Families at the BGVMA and the studies of some species of seeds germination. After visiting and monitoring various populations we have noticed that many species are not blooming (probably due to the lack of rain water) and they are not producing seeds, so if drought carries on more species will be under threat. The BGVMA will develop further research and seeds collections in species of the three families in the future. The grant also has allowed us to change the preservation technique by acquiring new materials.