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Safe custody for Native Guava – Project Update

Safe custody for Native Guava – Project Update

Oct 28, 2022 | News

Did you know that the Native Guava (Rhodomyrtus psidioides) plants in our current project have been studied by the ReCER team to understand their genetic diversity? This allows us to check whether the ex situ populations adequately capture the diversity present in the wild populations – and the good news is that they do! The same process will soon begin for germplasm sampled in QLD populations. Using genetic information also helps us send each partner garden a set of plants that is unrelated and genetically diverse, so these precious plants have a good chance of producing seeds, which can be collected for future research or management activities.

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government.

Epiphytic orchid surveys

Epiphytic orchid surveys

Oct 28, 2022 | News

Thanks to funding from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) Plant Conservation Team, the ANPC started surveying epiphytic orchids in north-eastern NSW in September. The Black Summer fires are thought to have hit many of these species (which occur on rocks and/or trees) particularly hard because they are killed by intense fire due to lack of both an underground dormant phase and a persistent seedbank from which to recover.

The surveys will document the impact of the fires, establish the geographic distribution and size of the remaining populations, and inform conservation assessment and threatened species listings. Eleven species have been selected, with the focus so far on Plectorrhiza purpurata, Sarcochilus aequalis and Tropilis angusta (syn. Dendrobium angustum). Although the North Coast and Northern Tablelands target areas are amazingly green following the last few years of abundant rain, the legacy of the Black Summer fires remains. A recently found population of Plectorrhiza purpurata was determined to be heavily impacted, with most host plants dead and all epiphytes on those plants killed.

Click here for more information on this SDZWA funded project

Image: Plectorrhiza purpurata growing in Cottan-Bimbang National Park. Credit: Lachlan Copeland

Myrtle rust survey – extended to 4 November

Myrtle rust survey – extended to 4 November

Oct 28, 2022 | News

The Myrtle Rust Survey closing date has been extended to Friday 4 November 2022. Run by the Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens and BGANZ this survey will take stock of Myrtaceae species currently in collections across the country to inform future actions to conserve myrtle rust-affected species. If you or your organisation holds conservation collections of Myrtaceae species please take the time to fill in their survey.

BGCI Conference Summary and new database

BGCI Conference Summary and new database

Oct 28, 2022 | News

BGCI have put together a summary of the main action points from the recent 7th Global Botanic Gardens Congress held in Melbourne. They had an incredible 500 delegates attend from 36 countries.Read the summary here.

The conference also highlighted the urgent need to share data in international seed and germination trait databases. This resulted in the launch of a new international database for primary seed germination data which we encourage you to contribute to. Dr Lydia Guja from the Australian National Botanic Garden is the Australian representative on the coordination team for this new database.