growing heritage | garden & conservation

Action plan for conservation of plants in cultivation

1 Guide to terms and abbreviations

ABS Access to Genetic Resources & Benefit Sharing. Herbarium Place of deposition of permanently preserved material for reference in naming plants and for AGM RHS Award of Garden Merit. research. BG-BASE is a database application designed to manage HTA The Horticultural Trades Association. information on biological (primarily botanical) collections. It is used by a wide variety of botanic gardens, arboreta, Hyperdiverse A group of plants (or any organisms) that show herbaria, zoos, universities etc. including the RHS. an unusually high level of speciation or differentiation into taxa. BGCI Botanic Gardens Conservation International. ICRA International Registration Authority. BGEN Botanic Gardens Education Network. International Cultivar Register A list, as near complete as CBD Convention on Biological Diversity (1992: entered into possible, of all the named of a particular group of force 29th December 1993). plants with at least the date of introduction or CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered registration and the registrant, where known. The Register of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973). is the responsibility of an ICRA (q.v.). Clone A plant that is perpetuated solely by vegetative In situ [Of plant material] grown in the natural habitat within propagation so that all individuals are genetically identical. the country of origin. COTES Control of Trade in Endangered Species. IPEN International Plant Exchange Network. Cryopreservation Storage of plant genetic material in liquid IPR Intellectual Property Rights. nitrogen means it can be kept for decades without MTA Material Transfer Agreement. regrowing the plant. NCCPG The National Council for the Conservation of Plants Cryptic hybrid A hybrid sharing many of the morphological and Gardens. features of one parent, so that it is not readily recognised visually and often only detected using biochemical or Nomenclatural Standard A permanently preserved molecular methods. specimen or illustration, photograph or image, to which the name of a cultivar is attached and serves as an Cultivar A plant with one or more stable and distinctive authoritative reference to interpret that name. features or characteristics that has arisen in cultivation or has been selected from wild material and differs from the NT The National Trust. type. PBR Plant Breeders’ Rights. DEFRA UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural PIC Prior Informed Consent. Affairs. Portal An internet site that acts as an entrance to related Demeter software for recording plants in gardens developed websites so that a search for information can be carried by the NCCPG to help its National Plant Collection out without having to visit each of the websites holders to document information about their National separately. Plant Collections. RBGE Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. Ex situ [Of plant material] grown or held somewhere other than the natural habitat within the country of origin. RBGK Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Genotype Part of the range of variation of a species or a Red Data Book A list of wild plants for a particular region or natural population characterised by a distinct and unique taxonomic group whose continued existence is genetic pattern. considered to be threatened, usually with an assessment of the degree of threat. Grex A group of hybrid cultivars, defined solely by parentage. Grex parents may be species or another grex. The term is RHS The Royal Horticultural Society. only now used for orchids. The plural is greges, but more SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest. usually in horticulture, grexes. Taxon A unit of classification (genus, species, variety &c.); GSPC Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. plural, taxa. Cosmos Preface atrosanguineus

RHS Herbarium In 1978 the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) held a conference on the Practical Role of Gardens in the Conservation of Rare and Threatened Plants. Out of that conference was born the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG), an organisation that has gone from strength to strength in the succeeding years. The work of the NCCPG, so much of which depends on the willing contributions of volunteers, has shown how much can be achieved and, indeed, the model has been adopted by other countries. The NCCPG and the RHS felt that it was an opportune moment to review these achievements and to set the agenda for the medium term. In April 2006, the two organisations held the Growing Heritage Conference, and in the course of which this Action Plan was agreed.

However, in a world with ever increasing demands on people’s time and money, it William Thompson, the founder of could be asked why we should put resources into conserving ornamental Thompson and Morgan Seed Merchants, cultivated plants when there are so many other deserving causes. Moreover, is it first brought this tuberous rooted half- so critical to maintain plants, some of which have been surpassed by more recent hardy perennial to Britain in 1835. breeding and selection or lack the qualities that would make them first class Although it received an Award of plants for gardens today? The answer can be summed up in the word “Heritage”: Garden Merit from the RHS in 1938, and without such conservation efforts, accurate replanting of old gardens would not despite velvet maroon with the be possible; nor could we go back to older genotypes to recover attributes – such distinctive chocolate perfume it as scent, disease resistance or a particular colour – that have been lost in disappeared from gardens. Living stock subsequent breeding programmes. And tastes in plants do change, as do fashions had been preserved at the Royal Botanic in gardening styles, often associated with an upsurge in interest in gardens and Gardens, Kew since the 1970s and during garden plants of the past. Heritage also means the wealth of cultural and historical the 1990s material was micropropagated connections that plants have with particular regions or communities that need to and cryogenically preserved. Until be recorded before they are lost. Finally, we must not overlook the need to recently Cosmos atrosanguineus was maintain a diversity of garden plants adapted to our climate and conditions, or to thought to be extinct in the wild and new conditions in a period of climate change, in the face of increasing uniformity Kew’s material was repatriated to Mexico found in plant centre “chain stores”. Each of these aspects contributes in a real to attempt reintroduction. However, the way to improving the quality of life for the ordinary gardener. present gene pool in cultivation only derives from one or two introductions The international and national context for plant conservation has changed and as cross-pollination is required to dramatically since the coming into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity produce viable seeds it was not certain (CBD) in 1993 and the tightening of regulations on the trade in endangered species whether the reintroduction programme (CITES). A failure to recognise this and respond constructively will lead to stricter would be successful. control of the movement of plant material as countries seek, quite understandably, to protect their resources and to gain benefits from them should those plants be All is not lost, though, since from New found to have a wider value. But gardeners, nurserymen and plant enthusiasts Zealand has come the first instance of a cannot easily call on the machinery of state to provide the support they need to self-fertile clone, registered for Plant continue the valuable flow of new plants into our gardens. Any solutions to Breeders Rights in New Zealand as ‘Pinot responsible and sustainable plant introduction must allow for this and provide the Noir’. Plants have also more recently means for all involved to meet these goals. Further, gardeners and horticulturists been rediscovered in the wild. have a vital role to play in the ex situ conservation of plants from around the world by growing and researching them. Not to put too fine a point on it: Cosmos is easily propagated by basal everyone from the large institutions to the individual gardener will benefit if the stem cuttings or dividing the tubers “good practices” that need to be encouraged and more widely adopted are and is now a very popular garden plant, achievable and supported by the horticultural community as a whole. currently listed in the RHS Plant Finder by 59 nurseries. This Action Plan sets out the factors that affect cultivated ornamental plant conservation, which are in many respects the same as those that affect plant conservation as a whole. The future of cultivated plant conservation depends Cosmos atrosanguineus, from a painting by upon all of us, through partnerships and collaboration, and cannot be carried Dorothy B Martin in 1938, part of the out by one organisation alone. painting collection of the RHS Herbarium

3 Contents

OBJECTIVE 1 OBJECTIVE 2 Knowledge Education

OBJECTIVE 1 Make information about our Make people more aware of Knowledge 6 plants more accessible ... the importance of cultivated plants ... E Hagart-Alexander RHS Herbarium OBJECTIVE 2 Education 8

OBJECTIVE 3 Strategy 11

OBJECTIVE 4 Enhancing diversity 13 The rapid growth and increased There is no doubt that the general level sophistication of technology over the of awareness about the need to protect OBJECTIVE 5 past 20 years makes it possible to gather and conserve the world’s animals and Best practice 16 and connect information about garden plants has increased as the threat to the plants that was inconceivable in the planet due to the loss of biodiversity is past. We have the means now to spread better appreciated. Cultivated plants that knowledge and make it available to can become extinct too: sometimes wider and different audiences. The UK because better plants are developed has one of the most diverse garden but also because certain kinds of plants floras in the world: it is vital that we do go through phases of being more to document and record it before unfashionable. These plants may well further information is irretrievably lost. have qualities that would be desirable It is also an essential element of any for breeding further new plants one day conservation programme – either of – if they have gone, then these qualities wild species in cultivation or of plants are also lost. raised and selected in horticulture. Narcissus ‘Varna’, from a painting by Mrs Leucanthemum ϫ superbum ‘Fiona Coghill’ Dykes in 1933, part of the painting collection of the RHS Herbarium

4 OBJECTIVE 3 OBJECTIVE 4 OBJECTIVE 5 Strategy Enhancing diversity Best practice

Raise the profile of Help to bring in new And look after those horticulture where it plants to cultivation ... we have already... matters... rRJRVanderplank, National Plant Collection Holder, R J Dr R Alistair Griffiths / Eden Project Janet Cubey / RHS Botany Passiflora

There are a great many positive aspects The impressive diversity of plants in our Gardeners in the UK and elsewhere are about gardening and horticulture in the gardens is, directly or indirectly, the constantly producing and selecting new UK, derived largely from an enormous product of introductions of wild plants forms of cultivated plants but, over public enthusiasm and interest. from all over the world. The recognition time, some of these have been lost or However, the decline in funding for that a country has ownership of and the are no longer available. For instance, just horticultural science, the changing right to benefit from its biodiversity, 6% of the cultivars listed in the global environment and the enshrined in the Convention on International Daffodil Register are introduction of legislation that affects Biological Diversity (CBD) to which most available in the UK as indicated in the plant collecting and trade are areas of countries in the world are signatories, RHS Plant Finder 2007–2008. A similar great concern. Horticultural interests has had important consequences for figure would be found for most plant have not been well represented in horticulture. Although the introduction groups where we have this information. discussions relating to the Convention of new plants has not entirely ceased, The NCCPG has, since its inception, on Biological Diversity (CBD) either at further plant collecting should be been working to conserve plants in Government level or internationally. carried out responsibly, in accordance cultivation that are threatened, There is a need for all those concerned with the CBD. To achieve this, particularly through its National Plant with horticulture and the introduction understanding of the CBD must Collections®, but there are still gaps and of new garden plants in particular, to improve and ways of returning benefits there is a need to establish how work more closely together to raise the to source countries promoted. We need threatened many cultivated plants are. profile of cultivated plant conservation. to assess the genetic diversity of plants There is also an urgent requirement to already growing in the UK, known to improve the conservation management Passiflora cuneata ‘Miguel Molinari’ have come from another country, so of plants in cultivation to ensure the that we can assist source countries with purity of stock, to increase the genetic their own conservation programmes. diversity of species in cultivation, and to be more aware of the heritage value of Impatiens ‘Ray of Hope’ certain elements of that diversity.

Araucaria araucana

5 OBJECTIVE 1 A succession policy for knowledge

b provide links to known KNOWLEDGE Background authoritative sources of The growth of affordable personal knowledge, such as: botanical computer systems since the 1980s and gardens, the RHS, the National To decide how best to the development of the Internet in the Trust, National Plant Collection 1990s have provided both individuals Holders, BGCI, individual genus bring together, augment and organisations with the tools to specialists and disseminate more record their cultivated plant knowledge widely existing and make it widely available; yet many c promote the acquisition of new excellent initiatives still remain largely data, by linking to further information and undiscovered by the community. authoritative databases – knowledge of cultivated Recently, the phenomenal growth of particularly those currently less plants – creating an social networking sites has encouraged well known or established. people of all ages and abilities to search essential resource for the Ⅵ out their local plant heritage and share Continue to develop a future. their personal gardening experiences. comprehensive list of names for We need to be sure that further stories, cultivated plants based on the RHS distributed amongst gardeners, are also Plant Finder and the International captured before they are lost, and made Cultivar Registers, taking active accessible to others – every plant has a steps to include currently under- story to tell. represented groups of plants such as: cacti & succulents, orchids, Although the Internet can provide vegetables, annuals and other instant access to much of this plants mainly distributed by seed. information through the major search engines, increasingly the end user is Ⅵ Promote best practice in recording faced with a barrage of unsorted and of information about cultivated often contradictory information. What plants, including: their origin, is needed are mechanisms to unify, and breeder, cultivation requirements, where necessary moderate, the folklore & cultural associations, information providing a consensus view derivation of name. to the user in a useful way. Only by having co-ordinated information on Ⅵ Identify sources of written cultivated plants in the UK can information (e.g. nursery conservation gaps be identified, threats catalogues) that may be held in fully assessed and duplication of efforts archives in the horticultural avoided. community. Where possible take steps to digitise information or otherwise highlight the need to protect rare or valuable printed Strategy material. Ⅵ Establish on the Internet a Ⅵ Consolidate existing knowledge of “knowledge gateway” as the “first plant collectors and collecting stop for gardeners”, linking expeditions into a website and together all existing sources of encourage the horticultural cultivated plant information: community to fill the gaps in its coverage. a start with one small pilot group of plants, using a focus group to confirm the viability and explore the potential 6 1 Key Actions Leucanthemum ϫ superbum Janet Cubey / RHS Botany ‘Fiona Coghill’ Ⅵ RHS to identify key stakeholders for the portal project and form a small Whilst undertaking research for her working party, initially to identify National Plant Collection of ϫ requirements for the pilot study. Leucanthemum superbum, Lady Etain Hagart-Alexander of Mauchline, Ayrshire, Ⅵ RHS to broaden the coverage of its became particularly interested in a authoritative cultivated plant cultivar by the name of ‘Fiona Coghill’. names list. The plant had originally been raised nearby in Kilmacolm, Ayrshire, by a Mr Ⅵ Develop standards for recording Jimmy Whittock, School Caretaker of the Nursery catalogues information about cultivated plants. Kilmacolm Primary School and named after his granddaughter. The catalogue For many years nursery catalogues have been enthusiastically read by gardeners Ⅵ RHS/RBGE to collate and make description of “large, fully double flowers” did not help much with identification, during the long winter nights. Yet available their information on plant increasingly, nurseries are only publishing collectors and their abbreviations. but further details describing “the whiteness of the accented by the their catalogues online. Nursery catalogues are an invaluable source of Ⅵ Look to secure funding for data- small, greenish centre” did distinguish the as being unusual. information, so it is important to archive basing nursery catalogue holdings. them and to record information from Further enquiries around Scotland to find them, regardless of whether they are Examples of valuable plant this cultivar were unsuccessful, so Lady paper or electronic. information include: Etain continued her enquiries in Ireland, where Slieve Donard Nursery had first Mike Grant / RHS Publications Ⅵ acquisition marketed the plant in the 1960s. Ⅵ cultivation and propagation Eventually, Reg Maxwell of Belfast Botanic histories Garden (and Area Co-ordinator for the Ⅵ breeding programmes and origins NCCPG) made contact with Philip Ⅵ name derivation Woods, who had been in charge of the Ⅵ the significance of cultivated propagation of ‘Fiona Coghill’, whilst plants in: working for Slieve Donard. Attracted by Ⅺ history the plant, Philip had grown it in his own garden and, as a result, nearly seven years Ⅺ culture after starting on her quest, an offset was Ⅺ art obtained from Philip by Lady Etain to Ⅺ architecture grow on in her National Plant Collection. Ⅺ clothing Ⅺ cosmetics Now this cultivar is commercially Ⅺ medicine available once more and listed by in the RHS Plant Finder. 20 years of the Plant Finder As well as its traditional use as a

E Hagart-Alexander directory for the avid plant collector RIGHT: Leucanthemum ϫ superbum ‘Fiona Coghill’ the Plant Finder is routinely used by gardeners and plantsmen alike to check TOP RIGHT: Nursery Catalogues: Carters 1934, the spelling and validity of plant names, Carters Blue Book Coronation Edition 1937, and garden writers look to it as a Karl Foerster 1964 and Hardy’s Cottage barometer of plant fashion. Garden 2005

FAR RIGHT: RHS Plant Finder (1987–2007)

7 OBJECTIVE 2 Our cultivated plant heritage matters

EDUCATION Background Strategy Public perception of conservation issues Ⅵ Explore public perception of tends to be focused on animals and conservation, and how to To determine the wild plants. Most effort and emotion is communicate our message directed to mammal conservation. The successfully to a variety of resources and activities majority of plant conservation work is audiences. required for further channelled towards in situ conservation increasing public of wild plants (e.g. bluebells, orchids, the Ⅵ Identify and develop stories to tropical rainforest), both in the UK and convey key messages about awareness of the role of worldwide. Although there is growing conservation and use to widen gardens and gardeners in awareness of the need to preserve understanding, engage imagination the conservation of plants. varieties of food crops, crop wild and promote plant conservation. relatives and land races, this is slow in extending to ornamental plants. Ⅵ Build on existing conservation initiatives to enhance awareness of There is insufficient awareness of the cultivated plant conservation. importance of cultivated plants, the role of gardeners in the conservation of Ⅵ Establish the heritage status of plants and their accompanying skills and plants. Include those associated knowledge. There is little understanding with collectors, in famous places, that if a plant disappears from the RHS with cultural or historic value or Plant Finder and does not reappear, it with medicinal uses. may be in danger of extinction. The NCCPG is not a campaigning body and Ⅵ Increase the profile of National the low level of awareness of National Plant Collections, and people’s Plant Collections means that the appreciation of the value of a importance of conserving cultivated garden, the individual plants within plants is often overlooked. it and those who care for them.

People’s main exposure to cultivated plant conservation will be through gardens. There is little information on conservation offered by the gardening- A display of diversity in a garden population orientated media, although there is of coum at RHS Garden, Wisley. always interest in particular genera (e.g. Cyclamen are popular garden plants with a hostas) especially rare ones. conservation message. Mike Sleigh / RHS

28 Narcissus ‘Varna’ This explosion of variety is largely the Key Actions result of painstaking hybridisation Daffodils did not become popular Ⅵ Target the listed groups with carried out by a relatively small number garden plants until the end of the conservation messages appropriate of enthusiasts. One of the greatest of nineteenth century. Those grown today and inclusive to each audience. these was Major Ian Brodie of Brodie, are very largely products of the 20th the 24th laird. Between 1899 and 1942 – century. By 1880 the nurseryman Peter Ⅵ The NCCPG to research and develop the year before he died – Brodie raised Barr grew about 500 varieties; by 1907 a series of key stories about heritage tens of thousands of seedlings in the the RHS published a list of 1400 names, and cultivated plants for use by all to walled garden at Brodie Castle. His and the new edition of the Daffodil raise awareness with the public and daffodil breeding programme was Register currently in preparation is other audiences. conducted with military precision; his expected to contain some 24,000! collection was planted in regular, well Ⅵ Explore the possibility of enhancing the coverage of conservation within RHS Herbarium the formal education structure, thus engaging younger people.

Ⅵ Work with examining boards, colleges and universities to make cultivated plant conservation a theme within horticultural qualifications.

Ⅵ Initiate a national campaign (such as “National Tree Week”, “Back from the Brink”) by developing a conservation activity to promote through major gardening events.

Audiences include:

Ⅵ Gardeners Ⅵ Professional horticulturists Ⅵ Botanists and conservationists Ⅵ Horticultural trade Ⅵ Students (primary, secondary, further and higher education) Ⅵ Media, policy makers, investors and fundraisers

Narcissus ‘Varna’, from a painting by Mrs Dykes in 1933, part of the painting collection of the RHS Herbarium.

9 OBJECTIVE 2 EDUCATION

labelled lines; each cross made was By the time the National Trust for missing ones. For example, ‘Silver Salver’, recorded meticulously in a notebook, Scotland acquired Brodie Castle in 1978 was found by simply searching through a often with notes on the weather that sadly only a small number of the large collection where, in about 1956, it day, and the resulting seed-set and daffodils could be recognised with any had once been recorded as growing. number of seedlings raised were later certainty within the grounds. However, added. He set exacting standards; he searches over the past 20 years have The Brodie Daffodils have been sent to used hundreds of cultivars as parents uncovered about 100 stocks, and they other National Trust gardens and some down the years and his records show are still coming to light – some from as stocks, that can be confidently named, that many of the progeny swiftly fell by far as Australia and the United States. It have bulked up enough to allow them to the wayside if they did not come up to is thought that some may still survive in be sold to visitors to Brodie Castle. Each scratch. Over a half century, he deemed the UK, having been planted for sale includes a certificate, part of which only some 370 of the seedlings he raised sentimental reasons because of their is a return slip by which the purchaser as being worthy of naming, though a names: ‘Cameronian’, ‘Gallipoli’, ‘Lovat can register that they have a particular further 70 were named by nurserymen Scout’ or ‘Sulva’ for example in an old stock. This way a dispersed collection is or fellow enthusiasts to whom he had soldier’s garden; ‘Aida’, ‘Mozart’ or being registered which should help to passed on numbered stocks. Only a ‘Musician’ in a musicologists; and ensure that the Brodie cultivars should handful of “Brodies” have remained in ‘Helston’, ‘Penzance’, ‘Perth’ or ‘Windsor’ never again face being lost. commerce; ‘Coverack Perfection’, may still exist in these places. ‘Hexameter’, ‘Samaria’, ‘Swansdown’, (From text written by Duncan Donald, while ‘Tain’ and ‘White Butterfly’, and possibly Daffodils have the advantage, compared he was Head of Gardens at the National Trust for Scotland, holder of the National ‘Kilmorack’. Indeed it is likely that some to many garden plants, that they can Plant Collection of Narcissus – Brodie of the Brodie cultivars were never persist despite neglect. Therefore it may cultivars). distributed commercially, and so are be enough simply to have an old planting now extinct. list of cultivars to be able to relocate Paul Upward / RHS

Pupils from Amherst School in the Teaching Garden, RHS Wisley.

10 OBJECTIVE 3 Greater support for cultivated plant conservation Gardeners can sometimes also be STRATEGY Background viewed from a negative standpoint as The UK has a long history of being complicit in introducing invasive horticultural skill and enthusiasm. We plants and wasting water. To agree strategies to benefit from an environment in which a wide range of plants are grown by engage with decision- amateurs and professionals. Many of makers to enhance the most important horticultural Strategy support for cultivated groups are based on volunteer support Ⅵ Use the Global Strategy for Plant plant conservation. and funded by private donations or Conservation, and other policy grant support. There are also initiatives, to focus and drive joined committed and well-established up action from those organisations organisations such as the botanic with a direct or indirect interest in gardens, the National Trust, the RHS cultivated plant conservation. and the NCCPG. Several of the most Involve, and communicate with the important resources such as The Plant appropriate Government Finder have originated in voluntary Departments. organisations and made the transition to more professional status. The quality Ⅵ Explore the possibilities of a of horticultural media and publishing is government-sanctioned, national high, and it is a popular subject area. system of designation (akin to SSSIs or listed buildings) for National Plant However, core-funding for Collections with taxonomic, cultural, horticultural organisations is hard to heritage or social significance. find, leading to a increasing loss of expertise particularly in specialist Ⅵ Build long-term partnerships within areas such as propagation, botany and the public and private sector to . While the NCCPG has promote plant conservation and successfully established over 650 secure the long-term future of the National Plant Collections, these are National Plant Collections. not secure and there is no formal recognition of their status. These Ⅵ Address the current issues affecting collections have a clear role in plant cultivated plant conservation conservation, both of cultivars and ex (invasive alien plant species, water situ conservation of wild species. restrictions, withdrawal of However, there is no objective pesticides, lack of resources, lack of evidence of their conservation value understanding) and work towards as few data are available about the publicising current successes and levels of genetic diversity within the possible future solutions. Utilise the collections. collections in explaining how these challenges affect our communities A joint approach between and the wider world. horticultural organisations to policy is essential. There is currently little Ⅵ Recognise and work to alleviate the communication between the future pressures on plant horticultural trade and the more conservation (climate change, CBD, academic areas, such as botanic ABS, urbanisation, change in farming gardens. There also is a lack of practice, and pressure on land use) understanding by ordinary gardeners and promote the importance of of how they can, and do, contribute cultivated plants in terms of the to cultivated plant conservation. environment and quality of life. 3 11 OBJECTIVE 3 STRATEGY

Key Actions Passiflora cuneata ‘Miguel due to Dr Molinari’s foresight it was Molinari’ possible to distribute seed and it is now Ⅵ Create succession plans to identify maintained in the National Plant and safeguard the skills specific to While this species is a native of Collection of Passiflora by John the curation of cultivated plant Venezuela and Columbia, a local Vanderplank. It has also been distributed resources. geographical variant of it, from the state to other collections and so the of Merida in Venezuela, is named as possibility exists that material can be Ⅵ Establish measurable targets ‘Miguel Molinari’. Dr Miguel Molinari, reintroduced to the wild in the future. indicative of the direction of policy who has studied Passiflora in Venezuela, Its maintenance in cultivation depends and help engage and inform other found this form and collected the seed upon well curated living collections to bodies; setting targets that are to conserve it. As a result of fire and ensure the genetic purity of the stock consistent with the wider objectives developers, this variant became extinct and the continuation of support for of the organisations involved. in the wild shortly afterwards. However, such collections. rRJRVanderplank, National Plant Collection Holder, R J Dr R Ⅵ Set up pilot projects to establish what is held in gardens, specifically in terms of genetic diversity.

Ⅵ In partnership with the relevant institutions, ensure that horticultural issues are considered in future policy development – at local, national and international levels. Passiflora

Ⅵ Seek support and collaboration to deliver the Key Actions of this Plan; linking in with organisational

planning and budgetary processes. NCCPG Carl Denton

TOP: Passiflora cuneata ‘Miguel Molinari’.

MIDDLE: Trillium chloropetalum ‘Val Mulvihill’. A new colour break of Trillium chloropetalum discovered in a garden in New Zealand and unknown in the wild.

BOTTOM: Growing Heritage conference. One of the break-out sessions at the Conference, debating Objective 2 – Education, led by Gail Bromley, RBG Kew, April 2006.

12 OBJECTIVE 4 New plants coming into the UK – working within regulations The evolving regime has, to date, had ENHANCING Background unfortunate consequences in forming a DIVERSITY The native flora of northern Europe is gulf between the scientific institutions naturally low in diversity because of and the horticulture trade in the UK. To define concerns and glaciation and isolation. The garden There has been a reduction in the flora of this region has been exchange of plant material due to the establish how private supplemented by introducing plants implications of Prior Informed Consent collectors and commercial that are then developed and diver- (PIC), the need for Material Transfer growers might be assisted sified by hybridisation and selection. Agreements (MTAs) and where botanical For the countries from which these gardens are uncertain about the origin to enhance the pool of plants originate there are numerous, of nursery plants, they will not risk plants available for sometimes unacknowledged, benefits. accepting them. cultivation within the These include not only the obvious It is acknowledged that there is some changing regulatory value of ex situ conservation of genetic diversity but also, for material in cultivation in the UK and climate. instance, the thriving industry in plant across Europe, collected after 1993, for and garden-inspired tourism. which no explicit permission to collect is recorded. As a result collectors, The implementation of the growers and nurseries are increasingly Convention on Biological Diversity has concerned about the implications of changed perceptions and, to some supplying full collection information for extent, governs the introduction of their plants and, as a consequence, vital new plants and therefore approaches conservation data are being lost. to plant-collecting are changing. The CBD is a complex policy framework Trends in the protection of Intellectual and the principles are still evolving, Property Rights (IPR) will have along with different interpretations implications for cultivated plant and different rates of national conservation that have yet to be implementation. As such it has yet to appraised (e.g. Plant Breeders’ Rights). find force in law in many countries. CITES is another important regulatory Some countries do not yet have instrument which has worked well in national bodies set up to receive or support of plant conservation. Further process requests to collect plant refinement of characterisation of wild material, and UK horticulturists often populations is important in the do not understand the application application of CITES (e.g. recent studies process. Therefore there are practical in Cyclamen). difficulties in organising access to genetic resources and benefit sharing. British gardens have made, and should Some ad hoc arrangements to share continue to make, a significant benefits are being put in place and contribution to the conservation of therefore some models for the future plant diversity worldwide. The are emerging but there is concern contribution of the disparate from the horticultural trade that these community of stakeholders in do not yet address the core of the cultivated plant conservation must problem. As the commercial yield on not be overlooked. new introductions is usually very small, other benefits need to be identified. 4 13 OBJECTIVE 4 ENHANCING DIVERSITY

Strategy Key Actions: Relevant publications

Ⅵ Ⅵ Communication and awareness of Encourage greater and more Ⅵ The CBD for Botanists: An CBD within the horticultural effective horticultural representation introduction to the Convention community should be improved. in the informal CBD stakeholder on Biological Diversity for people meetings facilitated by DEFRA. working with botanical Ⅵ A network of key organisations collections; Version 2. China Ⅵ should be established to examine Create and publicise a web page Williams, Kate Davis & Phyllida the impact of the CBD on linking existing sources of CBD Cheyne. RBG Kew, 2006. horticulture, monitor developments information relevant to www.rbgkew.org.uk/data/ in the Convention and provide input horticulturists. cbdbotanists.html to relevant bodies when changes of legislation are proposed. Ⅵ RHS and HTA to develop proposals Ⅵ BGCI webpages on Access to for a symposium on access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Ⅵ Effective approaches to access and genetic resources and benefit sharing Sharing including case studies on benefit sharing, examining the in horticulture. commercialisation projects potential of general schemes and www.bgci.org/abs ‘fair trade’ in particular, should be Ⅵ Review the level of horticultural developed. expertise available in biodiversity- Ⅵ Results of the Pilot Project for rich countries, identifying where Botanic Gardens: Principles on Ⅵ Projects for benefit-sharing that have support is needed. Access to Genetic Resources and already been delivered (e.g. Royal Benefit-sharing to Assist with Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh in Chile; their Implementation and University of Reading in Morocco Explanatory Text. Latorre Garcia and the Eden Project in the et al. RBG Kew, 2000. Seychelles) should be highlighted and more broadly relevant initiatives www.rbgkew.org.uk/conser developed. vation/principles.html

Ⅵ Ⅵ Knowledge and experience should The CBD website including be shared more widely with others guidelines on invasives facing similar issues elsewhere in the www.biodiv.org world, particularly in Europe and the USA. Ⅵ UK Government guidance on invasives, including the Ⅵ Engagement with source countries Horticultural Code of Practice should be increased, responding to www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife- their concerns and seeking to countryside/non-native/ improve a mutual understanding of the role of horticulture in plant Ⅵ IPEN Code of Conduct conservation. The possibilities of www.bgci.org/abs/ source countries propagating and Description_of_IPEN/ supplying material to UK horticulture should be investigated.

14 Impatiens ‘Ray of Hope’ Impatiens namchabarwensis Lapageria rosea Impatiens gordonii is a rare and In 2003 an unrecognised Impatiens was Chile has given the UK some wonderful threatened native of the Seychelles, and found by Yuan Yong-Ming and Ge Xue- garden plants and Lapageria rosea is no there are said to be no more than 120 Jun growing 200m from the Tsangpo exception to this. Also known as the plants left in the wild. Impatiens ‘Ray of river, at an altitude of 930m, in the Chilean bellflower, or copihue to give it Hope’, a hybrid between I. gordonii and Namcha Barwa Canyon. The Namcha its local name, it is the national flower I. walleriana, was raised and is being Barwa Canyon is the deepest canyon in of Chile. It was named in honour of sold by the Eden Project. £1 from each the world and is accessible only on foot, Empress Josephine (née Marie Josèphe- plant sold goes back to the Seychelles so remains relatively unexplored Rose Tascher de la Pagerie), the wife of to help protect their rare and botanically. It was found only in a Napoleon Bonaparte and a keen endangered plants, including I. gordonii, limited area, growing in open shrubland botanist. The first specimen in the UK in their natural habitat. near the margins of a broad-leaved came to the Royal Botanic Gardens, forest. Seed was collected and sent to Kew in 1847, swiftly followed in 1848 by the National Plant Collection of material being sent to Veitch & Sons Impatiens for cultivation and in 2005 Nursery by their collector . the holder of the Collection, together The dramatic, waxy bell-shaped flowers with the two discoverers of the plant are pollinated by birds with long beaks published the new species name while seeking nectar. Flowers are sold in Impatiens namchabarwensis. It grows Chilean markets, the fruits are edible 40-50cm high and has thick fleshy , and the roots sometimes used as an but it is mostly for its floriferous nature alternative to sarsparilla. Numerous and its ultramarine blue flowers that it colour variations are recorded in has considerable horticultural potential. Chilean literature, though few are documented in UK horticulture. Perhaps by working with the Chileans more of these colour forms could be brought to the UK; diversifying the genetic base, as well as expanding its potential as a garden plant. Alistair Griffiths / Eden Project Ray Morgan, National Plant Collection Holder, Roy Cheek Impatiens

15 OBJECTIVE 5 Maintaining our plant heritage

instances of invasive (rather than Best practice Background naturalised) plants are relatively few in The UK has a rich garden flora and the UK, the impact in some other these plants have all originated from, countries has been significant. It also To identify priorities and or been derived from, wild-collected gives a “bad news” angle to plant material. Within this garden flora introductions. best practices for the there are significant holdings of conservation of plants in known or documented origin which Cultivars can arise through selection cultivation involving all gives them extra conservation and of natural variation, hybridisation, or scientific value. However sometimes from natural mutants or sports. Clonal branches of horticulture. these plants may only be represented cultivars require vegetative by a single clone or a limited clonal- propagation to ensure they remain line. This makes them more prone to “true”. Where cultivars are of hybrid loss of viability and vulnerable to origin their development history can disease as well as having less value for be either secret or by chance, so their species conservation. actual parentage is not known for sure and therefore they cannot easily be Despite this, because of losses in recreated if the cultivar is lost. countries of origin, the UK – together Preservation of cultivars in cultivation with other countries rich in cultivated is not secure and whenever a cultivar plants – represent a potential source is lost, part of our heritage is also lost. of genotypes that have been lost But at the same time, in hyperdiverse or are threatened in the wild (e.g. groups such as orchids, cultivars and Berberidopsis corallina, Cedrus libani). grexes routinely become extinct as it However, so far there has been limited is impossible to conserve everything. research on the genetic diversity of UK material, although we now have the What is the best way to look after, as DNA techniques available to do this. well as enhance, the existing genetic diversity within the UK? Regrettably some introduced material, over time, has proven to spread into Jim Marshall’s exhibit of Malmaison carnations the natural environment and to be from the National Plant Collection at the difficult to eradicate. While the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2007. NCCPG

516 Ⅵ Wild-sourced material should be Strategy distributed responsibly as soon as Key Actions Ⅵ Having first acknowledged that it is possible after introduction to Ⅵ NCCPG to lead on producing a Red not possible to conserve every maximise survival. Giving due Data Book for cultivated plants. cultivar, ways need to be found to regard to CBD agreements and also evaluate, prioritise and decide to the potential future invasiveness Ⅵ Develop project proposals for what should be conserved. of the material and how future genetic diversity research. climate change may effect it. a A Red Data Book equivalent for Ⅵ Identify original genotypes and cultivated plants should be Ⅵ Further research into the genetic ensure their priority for developed to enable resources and diversity of plants in cultivation conservation. efforts to be effectively should be undertaken, using DNA channelled. techniques, initially focusing on Ⅵ NCCPG to agree prioritisation priority groups known to be criteria for cultivated plants. b A list of criteria for establishing threatened in the wild. Exchange of conservation significance, genetic material with origin Ⅵ Enhance stability of preservation of particularly for cultivars within countries can then be explored. genotypes. large genera, should be established. Ⅵ Genotypes should be kept pure, by Ⅵ NCCPG to develop a succession Ⅵ The desired level of genetic vegetatively propagating clonal policy for National Plant diversity in a collection of cultivars cultivars. Routine circulation of Collections and explore the should be established; open-pollinated seed under a feasibility of Virtual Plant acknowledging that this will vary species name or a collector’s Collections. with different groups of plants and number should be discouraged. the way they are propagated. Ⅵ Promote the value of UK holdings Ⅵ Documentation and traceability of in plant conservation. Ⅵ Alternative ways of conserving holdings, of both cultivars and specific groups of plants, other wild-origin material, should be than through the National Plant improved and linked to herbarium Criteria for establishing Collections, should be investigated. voucher specimens. Conservation Significance could Seedbanking and cryopreservation include: for cultivated plant material should Ⅵ Ensure, wherever possible, that a be explored. The concept of the succession policy is available for Ⅵ historical Virtual Plant Collection1 as a way of National Plant Collections and aim Ⅵ local distinctiveness to develop further international duplicating individual plants and Ⅵ wild selections separating taxa likely to hybridize, links with other bodies involved Ⅵ social as well as involving and engaging with the curation of cultivated Ⅵ with a wider audience, could be plant stocks. medical developed. Ⅵ disease resistance Ⅵ authenticated collectors’ Ⅵ When it is not possible to number propagate plants that are already Ⅵ has or has held a plant award within cultivation, then to promote such as an AGM the responsible sourcing of wild- Ⅵ key breeding breakthroughs collected material (e.g. using in- country programmes for Ⅵ cultivars with unusual propagating native plants, such as 1 A Virtual Plant Collection would be characters Turkish-origin Galanthus and one where the plants that form that Cyclamen.) collection are distributed in two or more geographically separate locations but where the records are jointly kept and coordinated electronically.

17 OBJECTIVE 5 BEST PRACTICE

Araucaria araucana Janet Cubey / RHS Botany Plant collector Archibald Menzies was dining out in Chile one night when, unable to identify some nuts on the table, he popped a few in his pocket. Some of them sprouted on the voyage home and this is how Araucaria araucana, or the monkey puzzle tree, found its way into the plant collections of 18th century Europe. Its common name comes from a comment by an English man in the 1800s, who said that it would certainly be a puzzle for a monkey to climb. Now widely grown in gardens in Europe, in Chile it is threatened in the wild and listed in Appendix A of CITES.

Perhaps the most famous tree of its native land, this ancient conifer is estimated to be 200 million years old, based upon fossil records, and is a relative of the recently discovered Australian “living fossil” Wollemia nobilis. Its seed forms a staple food of the Pehuenche Indians, a mountain tribe of the Mapuche culture and is also sold in local Chilean markets. It has potential to become a commercial crop as it produces a high yield and the large tasty seeds are easily harvested. The disadvantage is its slow rate of growth before the first crop is produced (up to 40 years from seed). The plant is dioecious, so at least one male plant needs to be grown for every 5-6 females. Unfortunately there is no way of telling the sex of the tree until it is mature. Female cones take 2-3 years to ripen and contain up to 200 large seeds.

The native habitat of Araucaria araucana is now threatened and has been reducing in size. In recent years the International Conifer Conservation Programme has introduced more diversity into the collections within the UK and Europe, to act as a larger gene pool resource for the future.

18 Chrysanthemum Magnolia sieboldii subsp. cryopreservation sinensis Mike Sleigh / RHS Initial studies by the School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, using Chrysanthemum ‘Euro’ have shown that it is possible to preserve apical meristems in liquid nitrogen (-196°C) and successfully recover and regrow the plants. They are now collaborating with the National Chrysanthemum Society to Cryoprotected chrysanthemum shoot tips establish the first comprehensive Andy Wetten collection of cryopreserved cultivars. Because of the small size of the stored tissue cultures, a vat occupying 1m2 can house 1000 cultivars replicated many times over. The techniques developed allow for almost indefinite retention of the propagules.

Andy Wetten Magnolia sieboldii subsp. sinensis is only known in the wild from three counties of Sichuan in south western China and has been classified as being “vulnerable” in The Red List of Magnoliaceae (2007). The population is noted as being severely fragmented, occurring on the edges of forest and in scrub. This habitat has been cleared in places already and some trees have been affected by regular bark stripping for medicinal use.

It is relatively widely cultivated in the British Isles as an attractive garden plant. How wide is the gene pool these cultivated plants represent? And is the diversity that is present in cultivation, diversity that has been lost from the wild?

19 What if? The Royal Horticultural Society Following the Growing Heritage conference, an exhibit was The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity put on in the Plant Heritage marquee at the Hampton dedicated to advancing horticulture and Court Palace Flower Show in July 2006. The stand showed promoting gardening. It is committed to two gardens, one from before 1750 (above) and one of bringing the personal and social benefits of today (below). The former only contained plants known to gardens and gardening to a diverse audience be in cultivation at that time and the viewer was invited to of all ages. Its goal is to help people share a compare the range and diversity of plants available to the passion for plants, to encourage excellence in gardener and realise the impact of the introduction of horticulture in private and public spaces, to new plants from other countries on UK horticulture. The help create healthy, sustainable communities overall message being that the continued development of and support long-term environmental new garden plants depends upon recognising the rights of improvements. source countries to the benefits of their genetic diversity. The Royal Horticultural Society NCCPG 80 Vincent Square London SW1P 2PE www.rhs.org.uk

RHS Registered Charity No.: 222879/SCO38262

National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens

The NCCPG seeks to conserve, document, promote and make available Britain and Ireland’s rich biodiversity of garden plants for the benefit of everyone through horticulture, NCCPG education and science.

This is achieved through the National Plant Collection® scheme of 650 ‘living libraries’ comprising over 80,000 different plants.

NCCPG 12 Home Farm Loseley Park Guildford GU3 1HS Tel: 01483 447540 www.nccpg.com

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