Ex situ cycad conservation and successes with an extinct in the wild cycad

Resumen

As the most threatened group of plants on the planet, the survival of cycads globally is increasingly dependent on ex-situ conservation methods. The role of botanic gardens in cycad conservation is crucial, from conservation horticulture and field gene banks to global conservation networks and metacollections, the methods used to not only safeguard but reverse the trend towards extinction are many for these enigmatic exceptional plants. Building on previous success having produced seed for the first time ever in the United States the cycad Encephalartos heenanii, which is extinct in the wild, Lotusland has recently made progress in developing an assurance colony for the species. A secure outdoor growing facility has been constructed and additional genetic material acquired, plus vegetative propagations of parent plants, for this long-term species survival program. Yet the question remains – how does one determine the integrity of the genetic diversity of the ex-situ collection when there is no extant in situ population for comparison? Genomic work coupled with historical information relating to the acquisition of plants may give clues towards recreating a genetic road map of the original wild population.

 Citation: Mills, P. M. 2025. Ex situ cycad conservation and successes with an extinct in the wild cycad. Revista Jard. Bot. Nac. Univ. Habana 46 (Número especial 1): 55.

Trabajo presentado en el XIII Congreso Latinoamericano de Botánica. Simposio Sistemática, Biología, Horticultura y Conservación de las cícadas.