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The slipper orchid Paphiopedilum gratrixianum requires priority conservation in Yunnan, China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2024

Lei Cai Open the ORCID record for Lei Cai [Opens in a new window] ,
Jianzhu Zhang ,
Zhiling Dao Open the ORCID record for Zhiling Dao [Opens in a new window]  and
Weibang Sun Open the ORCID record for Weibang Sun [Opens in a new window]
Lei Cai
Affiliation:
Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, China
Jianzhu Zhang
Affiliation:
Pu'er Science Institute of Forestry and Grassland, Yunnan, China
Zhiling Dao
Affiliation:
Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, China
Weibang Sun*
Affiliation:
Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, China
*
[email protected]
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Abstract

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Type
Conservation News
Information
Oryx , Volume 58 , Issue 1 , January 2024 , pp. 11 - 12
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence CC BY 4.0.
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International

With unique and beautiful flowers, the slipper orchids Paphiopedilum spp. have always been popular in horticulture. Conservation of the genus faces serious challenges, however, as they may be collected by orchid enthusiasts and the species are rare in the wild. Paphiopedilum gratrixianum Rolfe has a disjunct distribution in southern China, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam. It is categorized as Endangered on the Red List of Biodiversity–Higher Plants of China, as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, as a first-rank plant for national key protection in China, and as a Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations by the Yunnan provincial government in 2021.

In 2021 a population of c. 150 mature individuals of P. gratrixianum was discovered in Zhenyuan County, Yunnan Province. With the support of the Yunnan Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations conservation programme (2021S14X-09), we carried out further surveys for the species in April 2022 and October 2023. We discovered the species in two additional localities: c. 200 individuals in Shiping County, Honghe Autonomous Prefecture (> 150 km from Zhenyuan) and c. 150 individuals in Mojiang County, Pu'er City (> 80 km from Zhenyuan). All of the c. 500 individuals now known in China occur outside protected areas. With a narrow distribution range and low numbers, P. gratrixianum requires urgent priority conservation. During our surveys we collected some seeds and we are now attempting to cultivate seedlings for ex situ conservation and scientific research, at Kunming Botanical Garden.

An additional, previously known population of P. gratrixianum in Xinping County, Yunnan, became extinct in 2019 as a result of overcollection. Priority conservation actions are required to prevent the similar extinction of the three known extant populations, including establishment of in situ conservation sites, increasing publicity and law enforcement efforts, and development of artificial propagation and in vitro preservation technologies. Further surveys are also required in southern Yunnan and adjacent areas, along with research on the genetic diversity, pollination ecology and seed germination of the species.

Paphiopedilum gratrixianum blooming in the wild.