Saving the Corpse Flower: A Collaborative Effort
Genetic Diversity: The Key to Survival
The corpse flower, Amorphophallus titanium, is a rare and unusual plant that captivates the world with its unique appearance and infrequent blooming cycle. However, its genetic diversity is shallow, posing a significant threat to its existence. Inbreeding, which occurs when closely related individuals mate, can lead to unviable seeds and a decline in the plant’s overall health.
Studbook-Inspired Conservation
To address this issue, horticulturalists have adopted a method inspired by “studbooks,” which are genetic maps traditionally used in animal breeding and zoos to prevent inbreeding. A studbook for corpse flowers tracks the genetic makeup of individual plants, allowing researchers to identify the best matches for cross-pollination.
The Role of Botanic Gardens
Botanic gardens play a crucial role in the conservation of endangered plant species, including the corpse flower. In 2019, the Chicago Botanic Garden launched the “Tools and Resources for Endangered and Exceptional Plant Species” (TREES) project to create a studbook-like database for six rare plant species, including the corpse flower.
Recalcitrant Seeds: A Unique Challenge
Many of the plants in the TREES project, including the corpse flower, have recalcitrant seeds. These seeds cannot withstand the freezing or drying methods used in traditional seed banks and require specific conditions to survive. In the wild, animals often consume and disperse recalcitrant seeds.
Asexual vs. Sexual Reproduction
Corpse flowers can reproduce both asexually and sexually. Asexual reproduction produces multiple genetically identical plants, while sexual reproduction involves the fusion of pollen and eggs to create genetically diverse offspring.
Artificial Pollination and Cross-Pollination
Since corpse flowers only bloom for a short period of time, botanists must artificially pollinate them to produce more offspring and genetic variation. They also collect pollen from blooming plants to share with other botanical gardens for cross-pollination.
The Longwood Botanical Gardens’ Success Story
In 2020, a corpse flower named “Sprout” at the Longwood Botanical Gardens in Pennsylvania bloomed for the second time. Pollen from the Chicago Botanic Garden was used to artificially pollinate Sprout, resulting in the production of viable seeds.
Collaboration is Key
Collaboration between botanic gardens is essential for the conservation of critically endangered plant species. Researchers at the Chicago Botanic Garden emphasize the importance of working together to save these species, as individual gardens cannot accomplish this task on their own.
Long-Term Goals
The TREES project aims not only to save rare species like the corpse flower but also to develop principles that can be applied to the conservation of other endangered plant species in the future.
