Only about two dozen Karomia gigas trees survive in the Tanzanian wilderness. The flower blooming in this artificial environment is a positive signal for their survival.
According to what plant scientists at the Missouri Botanical Garden (USA), the tiny purple-white flower that has just bloomed in their greenhouse has never been seen, at least by experts like them. In early May, Justin Lee, a gardener, was inspecting a group of Karomia gigas seedlings when he discovered a strange flower. This plant is related to mint and is native to Africa and is one of the endangered plants. Strange flower varieties Giống This flower less than 3cm long has pale purple ring-shaped petals, which slope down to form an arch connected to four white petals, with outstretched pistils. Mr. Lee said: “It doesn’t look like a mint flower. It looks like it’s upside down.” The mint family, Lamiaceae, usually has funnel-shaped flowers. Caregivers think the flowers may attract bees, butterflies and moths, but they may also be self-pollinating. Over the next few weeks, they expect more Karomia gigas flowers to bloom in the greenhouse, and instead of attracting insects, they will attract human hands trying to keep the species from extinction. When more flowers bloom, plants can cross-pollinate and have an extra chance of survival. Currently, only about 20 individuals of Karomia gigas are known in the wild in Tanzania. Roy Gereau, Tanzania project leader at the Missouri Botanical Garden, said it’s not uncommon for anyone to have seen flowers grow from this tree. Karomia gigas is a tall, straight-stemmed tree that can reach a height of 25 m, the branches grow about 13-14 m above the ground, making the flowers difficult to see. Karomia gigas is quite tall and is located deep in the forest. The tree is so rare that it does not have a common name in English, Swahili (the main language of Tazania) or the dialect of the area around the reserve where the tree was found. Of the more than 60,000 known tree species on Earth, Karomia gigas is among the most threatened and endangered in Africa. “As far as we know, there is no scientific record of the flower of this plant,” said Gereau. And now, when the trees bloom, conservationists believe they can keep them from disappearing. “In terms of extinction, this is a really, really good sign. We can make sure this plant doesn’t go away,” said Andrew Wyatt, vice president of horticulture at the Missouri Botanical Garden. There is still hope Growing this tree is a challenge. In the wild, Karomia gigas is highly susceptible to a fungal infection spread by insects. In September 2018, thousands of seeds were collected in Tanzania and brought to St. Louis, but only 100 seeds can be used for germination. The nursery also had to adjust soil texture, water availability and sunlight to mimic the East African environment in which the plants grew. Gardeners are finally able to grow the plants by letting the seeds germinate on wet paper towels (reducing the risk of infection), and then planting them in the potting soil. Currently, they have about 30 seedlings from seeds and one from cuttings. Creating a growing environment for this species is very difficult. “We’re debating whether they can bloom in a caring environment,” Mr Wyatt said. When there are only a few trees of this species left in the world, trying to save them and seeing them grow successfully is very emotional. “You will cherish every stage. They are like your children. You are like the housekeeper of these plants. You not only have a scientific connection, but also a love for them” – he Wyatt shared. Mr. Lee agrees: “They are like my children.” The flower helped scientists understand more about the plant, verifying it was classified correctly, and the shape suggested it was most likely pollinated by an insect. To date, they have not been able to tell if this flower structure is common to the species, or just a genetic mutation in the still young plant. “This single flower … may not be the usual flower form of the tree. This is the first flowering tree of fortune telling” – Mr. Gereau commented. The first flower was recorded. Most importantly, this helps ensure the survival of the tree. Botanists can take cuttings to propagate, but they will share the same DNA. Having genetic diversity will help ensure that plants can withstand harmful elements such as pests. “If crops don’t bloom, we have to depend on wild plants for seeds, and their survival is very low,” Wyatt said. While some species are able to self-pollinate, it is not clear whether Karomia gigas does. Mr. Lee tried pollinating before the flowers died, but said adding flowers from other plants would help create a new generation of plants that are genetically more tolerant. “I’ve chalked the flowers. But so far the self-pollination is still a big question mark. And this time we didn’t succeed. However, we have many seedlings left, if they bloom and pollinate. Cross-pollination is better for genetic diversity.” “Having a tree in bloom is a great start in a species recovery effort,” says endangered tree expert Emily Beech. Although not involved in the tree planting process in St. Louis, in 2016, Ms. Beech and Mr. Gereau and rangers searched for this tree in Tanzania. “When we got there, we didn’t see any sprouts in the forest, but the blossoming tree shows that there is still hope for this tree in the future,” she added. One step closer to reinvention Karomia gigas was discovered in 1977 in Kenya. When the last two trees here were cut down, scientists thought the species was extinct. Then, in 1993, several trees were discovered in Tanzania. From 2011 to present, Mr. Gereau and Tanzanian botanists have found more individuals in the wild. According to Mr. Fandey Mashimba, head of the seed department of the Tanzania Forest Service, about two dozen Karomia gigas trees still exist in the wild, in two forest reserves Mitundumbea and Litipo. These two reserves have the Miombo forest ecosystem – common in Central and South Africa. This is the habitat of wild animals such as gorillas, wild boar, wild buffalo and a small antelope called Dik-dik. While individuals studied in the native environment and one growing in St. Louis, their flowers are still a mystery. “We have a person in the nearest village to the reserve, he keeps an eye on them and will notify us when he notices the plants are about to flower,” said Mr. Gereau. However, when someone drove the long way through the forest and reached the tree, no flowers were found. “They’re in a reserve protected by the government, but a lot of people go there to get wood,” Mashimba said. The wood of Karomia gigas is compared to teak – a precious wood, so they have a high value. “We have trees that are still alive. We can make sure they don’t go extinct. Successful conservation of this species is possible. They are protected in Tanzania. We have a bunch of trees in the botanical garden. When we have enough seeds, we can store them in case.” Seedlings are cared for at the Missouri Botanical Garden, USA. Gereau said he does not want to transfer the plants yet, fearing they are too fragile to make it through the trip between the two continents, but his team will actively share knowledge with the Tanzanian government and botanists at the University of California, San Francisco. University of Dar es Salaam, which is conducting research on this plant. For now, a flower is a hopeful sign of what’s to come. The staff at the botanical garden at St. Louis was surprised when it quickly fell from the tree in less than 24 hours. “It withered and fell. I picked it up and used it as fertilizer,” said Mr. Wyatt.
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