australasia buxifolia

[den]

National Parks and the Lithgow City Council rangers have searched the area where the first australasia buxifolia was found, and have counted 50 plants. That brings the total number of known plants up to 50. Not bad for a plant seen once in 1840 and never seen again. They are taking cuttings and seeds and will be propogating the plants for release to nurseries, and eventually for sale to gardeners who want a medium sized grevillia with small leaves and small, brilliantly yellow flowers.

Also coming on the market Real Soon are seedling Wollomai Pines. These trees were only known by fossil remains dating back 300 millionish years, until a small patch was discovered growing in a tiny valley in the Wollomai National Park. Propogation by nurseries means there are now a lot more trees in captivity than in the wild.

Clever plan, that. Take a rare plant and flood the market so the rarety value is lost. That's the best way to keep the wild plants safe from scumbags who would dig them up.

Comments

[elynne.livejournal.com]

Damn tootin'. It also ensures the spread of the plant; with luck, one or two will find its way to an area where it can survive. Of course, it'd suck if an extremely rare and somewhat fragile plant in its own habitat turned into a rampant noxious weed in another area... heh. But that's cool. I wish I had a garden, or that I could get samples of those, but something tells me that they aren't available for export. ;)

[julesong.livejournal.com]

Very cool!