Commissioned by Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), BGCI undertook a global survey of ex situ Ebony collections in 2016. This report forms part of MBG’s Global Ebony Assessment. The ebonies are an economically important tree group, providing timber, medicine and food.

The report shows that only 24% of ebony taxa (193 of 806 taxa) are reported in ex situ collections. These collections are a vital conservation measure offering protection to species away from their native habitat and any in situ threats. Ex situ collections can also form the basis of reintroduction and restoration programmes, therefore helping to improve the conservation status of ebony species in the wild.

The conservation status of many ebony species is currently unknown. The report highlights that only 25% of those taxa known to be threatened are reported in ex situ collections. This means that very few ebony taxa have back-up protection if the threatened in situ populations are lost. The report identifies the taxa that are not protected ex situ and should be brought into collections as a priority.