Beyond Cast Iron: a World-Renowned Collection of the Genus Aspidistra In
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Beyond Cast Iron: a Juniper Level Botanic Garden research collection of the genus Aspidistra Ker Gawl. Foliage of Aspidistra basalis ‘Green Jeans’ Zac Hill1, Amanda Wilkins2, Jeremy Schmidt3 and Tony Avent4 (Photo from JLBG Archive) 1Plant Records Specialist/Taxonomist; 2Garden Curator; 3Grounds and Research Supervisor, 4Proprietor Support Ex-Situ Taxonomic Troubles Conservation Collection Statistics • Generally overlooked by botanists until recent Total Number of Taxa 170 history • Under-representation in wild sampling in Number of Verified Species 41 botanic collections Wild-Collected Specimens 76 • Plants being released into the horticultural trade before the species is described JLBG Cultivars 86 • Asian cultivar names changed to English Identify Unknown Unidentified Specimens 13 cultivars without recognizing origin Taxa Through Collection Grow Known Taxa • Lack of consensus on what constitutes a Taxonomic Study Active Records 289 Aspidistra grandiflora ‘Mary Sizemore’, species Goals Specimens in the Reference 101 June 2014 (Photo from JLBG Archive) • Leaves are diverse within a species and can Collection lead to species confusion Foliage of Aspidistra zongbayi ‘China Percent of Collection in Good 83.6% Moon’ (Photo by Amanda Wilkins) Condition Collection Impacts Collect and Share • Helped describe three new species: Aspidistra basalis, gracilis and columellaris. Type specimens held in reference collection. Plants • See: “Four new species of Aspidistra Ker. Gawl. Collection Development (Asparagaceae) from China and Vietnam with a comment on A. longifolia Hook.f. and A. hainanensis W.Y.Chun & and Management F.C.How” Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 64(1): 201–209. • Horticulture: 2012. • Plant out species and cultivars in the • Point of Contact: Tony Avent and JLBG staff have been a point Garden for horticultural and of contact and interest in the genus since the 1980s, working hardiness evaluations and sharing information and plants with botanists, collectors • Maintain a collection of species and and keen plantspeople around the world. cultivars in a covered house for use Aspidistra attenuata ‘Dungpu Dazzler’, as a research reference collection January 22, 2009 (Photo from JLBG Archive) • Develop new cultivars from Garden Change in the Number of offspring • Records • Maintain internal catalogue of known Foliage of Aspidistra ‘Snow Cap’ Zac Hill checks Described Species Since 1822 species, corresponding taxonomic (Photo by Amanda Wilkins) for flowers on 1977: New interest publications, species ranges, floral 200 Aspidistra phenological data on species in the from Chinese ‘China Moon’ collection, and holdings in others’ 150 researchers (Photo by collections Amanda • Record plant information in Access Wilkins) 100 Late 1980s: First database Aspidistra brought • Develop and maintain a database of 50 into the collection images of floral dissections 0 2004: New interest Aspidistra columellaris ‘Giraffe’ in flower Number of Species Number from European Overview (Photo from JLBG Archive) researchers Year of the genus Aspidistra • First described in 1823 Number of Species • Member of Asparagaceae, Asparagales • Native to East Asia • Centers of diversity in Southern China 1996: First 2000: Central Florida 2012: Three new 2018: Exchange and Vietnam Exchange with Foliage reaches out to species published from with Crug Farm • Horticultural benefits: Evergreen leaves, Assortment of Foliage from the Garden, Shanghai Botanic share plants and collection adaptable to dry conditions, deep shade including Aspidistra sichuanensis 'Spek- Garden information presence tacular’ (Photo by Amanda Wilkins) • Historical Relevance: Floral dissections and • Aspidistra elatior has been a favorite Juniper Level Botanic Garden is a 28+ acre garden located in vegetative studies: (Top) houseplant since Victorian times, due Raleigh, NC. The collection contains more than 25,000 different Stigma of A. guanguxienesis to its tolerance of pollution, low light Aspidistra fungilliformis ‘Stargazer’ taxa collected and grown from all over the world. The Garden is ‘Kunming Starlet’; (Above) and cool temperatures in the process of establishing an endowment and will eventually Flower size comparison; (Far • Horticultural specimens brought into (Photo from JLBG Archive) transition to be part of N.C. State University. At least ten percent Left) Leaves of unidentified the U.S. since the early 1900s of purchases from Plant Delights Nursery, Inc. go to fund JLBG. plant; (Left) Fruits and seed.