Funded by U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Rare Plant Partnership

Project Completed: 2024

Institution: Atlanta Botanical Garden

Seed and tissue banking for the critically imperilled Balsam Mountain gentian (Gentiana latidens)

Introduction

The critically imperilled Balsam Mountain gentian (Gentiana latidens), a rare North Carolina endemic, is at high risk of extinction due to its limited range and few remaining populations. This project, managed by the Atlanta Botanical Garden (ABG) in collaboration with the USFS, aimed to safeguard the species by creating a gene bank through seed and tissue collection and by assessing its habitat to inform conservation strategies.

Project goals

To collect and bank seeds and tissue samples from known populations of G. latidens, preserving its genetic diversity for future reintroduction and research. Additional goals include conducting site assessments to identify threats to the species’ survival and sharing findings with the USFS and the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program for coordinated conservation efforts.

Key Achievements

• Successful Seed and Tissue Banking: From September to December 2023, ABG staff collected and banked seeds from over 50 maternal lines, resulting in the storage of more than 5,000 seeds at the ABG Conservation Seed Bank. Germination trials confirmed the seeds’ suitability for long-term storage, supporting ex situ conservation.

  

• Comprehensive Site and Population Assessments: Field surveys recorded 2,599 individuals on USFS lands, providing essential data on population distribution and habitat conditions. Findings indicate that habitat management, such as controlled burns, may be necessary to sustain open habitats that G. latidens prefers