Briefly SPOTLIGHT ON PLANTS


Rare trees found in Tanzania In July 2023, a botanist noticed broad pods on a tree growing in a maize field near a road in the Nguru Mountains of eastern Tanzania. The tree turned out to be one of two specimens of Millettia sacleuxii, a rare species that scientists had feared was ex- tinct. Thousands of their seeds have since been collected and germinated so that they can be planted as part of a reforestation project. In the local Kihehe language the tree shares its common name, muhafu,with other closely related Millettia species found in this region. Scientists previously knew the species from only three forest reserves in the Nguru and Usambara mountains, but two of these were cleared decades ago. Source: Mongabay (2024) news.mongabay. com/2024/07/extinct-trees-found-in- tanzania-sparks-hope-for-ecosystem- recovery


New kind of wood discovered Scientists have discovered an entirely new kind of wood, a finding that could turbo- charge the ability of trees to store carbon. Researchers investigated the nanoscale structure of live wood samples, analysing the size of each wood type’s macrofibrils, tiny rod-like filaments that house wood cells. They found that hardwood trees such as oak or birch have macrofibrils of c. 15 nm diameter, whereas softwood trees such as pine or spruce have larger macrofi- brils of$25 nm. However, the two surviv- ing species of the Liriodendron genus, the tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera and the Chinese tulip tree Liriodendron chinense, have a different structure, with macrofibrils of c. 20 nm, midway between softwood and hardwood. Previous research has shown that Liriodendrons are fast-growing with high carbon sequestration rates, making them popular candidates for carbon capture plantations. The trees may have developed larger macrofibrils that those typical of hardwood to make them more effective at drawing carbon from the atmosphere. If this intermediate size of macrofibrils is best suited for carbon sequestration, it may be possible to breed other tree species with those optimum-sized macrofibrils to boost their carbon storing capacity. Source: New Scientist (2024) newscientist. com/article/2442082-we-have-discovered- an-entirely-new-kind-of-wood


Report reveals . 50% of Kew’s trees could be at risk A new report published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, reveals over half of the 11,000 trees currently found at the Gardens in London,UK,maybeat riskby2090, including British natives such as English oak, common beech, silver birch and holly. Spurred by a drought in 2022 that resulted in the loss of .400 trees atKewGardens (compared to an average loss of 30 trees most years), Planting for the Future: Kew’s Landscape Succession Plan uses novel climate models that have beenempirically tested byKewhorticulturists to determine the species that need to be planted now, to protect UK landscapes for future generations. Trees and woody shrubs mitigate the effects of urban heat islands both on people and wider ecosystems. However, their long lifespan means their ability to adapt to rapidly changing climate conditions is limited, and many of the trees currently being planted in the UK are failing. Kew calls on the horticulture industry and urban planners to recognize concerns around an exclusive focus on native species. Source: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2024) kew.org/about-us/press-media/landscape- succession-plan


Newly discovered plant defies deforestation in Ecuador Botanists have identified a new plant species, Amalophyllon miraculum, in a small forest fragment in north-western Ecuador.The dis- covery highlights the importance of preserv- ing even small patches of threatened ecosystems. The tiny plant, only 5 cm tall, was found growing on a boulder in an area that has lost 70–97% of its original forest cover because of agricultural expansion and past government policies encouraging defor- estation. Amalophyllon miraculum has dis- tinctive features, including bright green leaves with serrated edges and purple under- sides, and minuscule white flowers.Only two populations of this plant are known, both in small protected areas. This limited distri- bution has led to its preliminary assessment as Critically Endangered. Despite this, the new species represents hope for biodiversity conservation, showing that unique species can persist even in heavily altered landscapes. Conservation organizations areworkingwith local landowners to protect remaining forest areas and cultivate rare species. Source: Mongabay (2024) news.mongabay. com/2024/06/miracle-in-miniature-as- rare-new-plant-defies-deforestation-in- ecuador


Critically Endangered plant makes daunting move across the UK A 4m tall specimen of the Critically Endangered Tahina spectabilis palm has been transported from Cambridge University Botanic Garden to the Eden Project in Cornwall. There are only c. 40 of these plants, which were first discovered in north-western Madagascar in 2006,leftin the wild. The species is commonly known as the suicide palm or self-destructive palm for its unique lifecycle: it flowers only once in its lifetime before dying. The Cambridge specimen had reached the top of the glass- house and stands a better chance of reaching its full potential in the domed facilities of the Eden Project. It could grow up to 18mhigh over its 50-year lifespan and display leaves with a diameter of up to 5 m. The large palm was carefully removed from the glass- house and forklifted into a van, where it was laid on hay bales and strapped into place for the 7-hour journey. The move highlights the collaborative nature of botanic gardens, which form a global network of great im- portance for horticulture and conservation. Source: BBC News (2024) bbc.co.uk/news/ articles/c1wjn34vgqlo


First Antarctic-wide survey of plant life The first continent-widemappingofplant life across Antarctica reveals vegetation growth in previously uncharted areas, and is set to inform conservation measures across the re- gion. The satellite survey of mosses, lichens and algae will form a baseline formonitoring how Antarctica’s vegetation responds to cli- mate change. Until now, the spatial coverage and abundance of vegetation across the con- tinent was unknown. An international team of scientists combined satellite observations with field measurements taken over several summer seasons, and detected almost 45 km2 of vegetation, with 80% of plant growth within the Antarctic Peninsula and neigh- bouring islands. Dominated by mosses and lichens, the vegetation has adapted to sur- vive the harsh polar conditions, and the environmental sensitivity of Antarctica’s plants makes them effective indicators of regional climate change. Monitoring their presence inAntarctica’s minimally disturbed landscape could provide clues as to how similar vegetation types may respond to cli- mate in other fragile ecosystems. Sources: Nature Geoscience (2024) doi.org/ np5k & British AntarcticSurvey (2024) bas.ac. uk/media-post/first-antarctic-wide-survey- of-plant-life-to-aid-conservation-efforts


This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited. Oryx, 2024, 58(5), 549–554 © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605324001698


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