Project funded via the Global Botanic Garden Fund by The Botanist. Project completed: 2022

Ex situ conservation of five Critically Endangered plants of the Western Ghats, India.

Funds raised for the Global Botanic Garden Fund have supported many projects over the years. One example is the work by the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden in the Western Ghats on the conservation of critically endangered plants through seed banking.

Project goal

With the area recognised as one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” for biodiversity by UNESCO, and with 56% of the tree species growing there endemic to the region, the area presents an opportunity to make a large impact on plant conservation. Research coordinator Dr Anurag Dhyan jokes, “there’s plenty of opportunity to work here, every 5 miles there is a different endemic tree!”.

One of the most effective ways to conserve plant diversity is seed banking, and in the past two decades, botanical gardens have been establishing seed banks for this purpose. Unfortunately, only 10% of endemic trees are represented, making JNTBGRI’s work in the Western Ghats even more important. The five species being focused on are all endemic and threatened, so found nowhere else. However, with some not having been recorded since 1998, even locating them presents a big challenge.

Preserved seeds of rare plants can be used for reintroduction and conservation programmes, helping to slow the rate of plant extinction around the world.

Species targeted

The project centered on collecting and storing seeds from five IUCN Red Listed Critically Endangered trees and shrubs endemic to the Western Ghats of India. The specific species targeted were

• Cinnamomum chemungianum
• Dipterocarpus bourdillonii
• Ixora johnsonii
• Syzygium travancoricum
• Utleria salicifolia

Key achievements

The study identified populations of five rare species in various locations including Pulikkayam, Thattekkad, Pamba, Kulathuppuzha, Palode, Placherry, Chemunji, Agastyamala and Nelliyampahty. These populations consisted of 25-250 mature trees per species. The team collected and stored around 200 seeds of four out of five species in the seed bank of JNTBGRI. Unfortunately, no fruiting was observed for Cinnamomum chemunjianum. The collected seeds were germinated and the resulting seedlings were planted in the institute’s garden. This information on the populations, stored seeds and seedlings will aid in developing long-term conservation strategies for these rare and endemic plants of the Western Ghats.
 
From Anurag Dhyani about GBGF: ‘Ex-situ conservation of five Critically Endangered plants of the Western Ghats, India’ has been successfully submitted. As per the project objectives, we have completed the field survey, seed collection and storage, and raising of seedlings. We have also successfully identified populations of the target species and developed long-term ex situ conservation strategies for these rare and endemic plants of the Western Ghats.

“I would like to express my gratitude for BGCI funding and support, without which this project would not have been possible.”