Starting a conservation collection of Sorbus pseudomeinichii

There are three endemic Sorbus species on the Isle of Arran in Scotland: Sorbus arranensis, S. pseudofennica and S. pseudomeinichii. The latter is the most recently discovered and is represented in the wild by a single individual. Seed propagation and vegetative propagation by chip budding were initiated for all three species at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). This has been successful and there are now conservation collections of these species growing at RBGE

Plant Collecting for the Ecological Garden and the Scottish Heath Garden at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

The Ecological and Heath Gardens at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh were created in 1991 and 1997 respectively. The Ecological Garden started as a naturalistic area of native woodland plants where cryptogams were encouraged to grow. Building on its success other habitat types were created nearby. The Heath Garden replaced an older heather garden and sought to recreate the ‘feel’ of a Scottish upland heathland. In recent years additional wild origin material of conservation concern has been added to each Garden and this paper describes the process along with some of the plants selected

Establishing Ex Situ Conservation Methods for Dactylorhiza ebudensis and D. traunsteinerioides, a Combination of In Situ Turf Removal and In Vitro Germinations

Orchidaceae is one of the most diverse flowering plant families in the world, occupying a diverse range of habitats from epiphytes to terrestrial forms. It is also one of the most vulnerable to changes in land use because of its complex ecological requirements. In nature, orchid seed will only grow if infected with a compatible fungus which provides all the carbohydrates and nutrients needed for its development. This mycotrophic mode of nourishment can persist underground for years in some orchids, which makes them difficult to observe in the wild. Understanding their behaviour is essential for their successful propagation and conservation. In an investigation looking into conservation and propagation, turves were lifted from wild populations of two rare Scottish orchid species in order to ensure the best possible association between these species and their growing environment. A combined in vitro experiment was set up for the wild harvested seeds under different media to compare their effects. Two different successful ex situ conservation methods for Dactylorhiza ebudensis and D. traunsteinerioides are presented

Barcode UK: A complete national resource for people, plants and the planet. 5th International Barcode of Life Conference, Kunming, China, 2013

<p>Presentation at the 5th International Barcode of Life Conference, Kunming, China, 27-31 October 2013</p