The Masungi Georeserve Foundation and the University of the Philippines Los Baños – Museum of Natural History have made a historic donation of Strongylodon juangonzalezii seeds to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This marks the first time the rare purple jade vine, native to the Philippines, will be cultivated outside the country. The seeds, known as JC’s vine locally, will be nurtured at Kew Gardens, with hopes to showcase the plant to the public within 3 to 5 years.
Described as new to science in 2016, Strongylodon juangonzalezii is a leguminous perennial vine found in the Buenavista Protected Landscape of Mulaney, Quezon Province, and the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal. This endemic species thrives in secondary-growth forests, with its vibrant flowers transforming from lilac to electric blue as they mature.
The Philippines, among the most climate-vulnerable nations, faces severe environmental challenges, with only 3% of its primary rainforests remaining. The Masungi Georeserve, just 47 kilometers east of Metro Manila, is a vital karst ecosystem under threat from urbanization. Since 2017, the Masungi Geopark Project has led a significant reforestation effort, planting 140,000 native trees and establishing extensive monitoring trails.
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Simon Toomer, Head of Living Collections at RBG Kew, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “We are delighted to have been asked by the Masungi Georeserve Foundation to receive this donation of seeds. Being described as new to science less than 10 years ago means that there is still much to learn about the purple jade vine, so this donation provides us with a wonderful opportunity to find out more about this stunning species, whilst sharing knowledge with the Georeserve so they can continue their conservation efforts in the Philippines.
In time, we hope that visitors to Kew Gardens will also be able to see this spectacular plant on display for themselves, and we are of course very excited at the prospect of being the only place in the world outside of the Philippines to have the opportunity to cultivate the species.”
Billie Dumaliang, Director for Advocacy at the Masungi Georeserve Foundation, highlighted the significance of the event held on July 25, 2024: “The Masungi Georeserve is one of the few habitats of S. juangonzalezii in the wild. Despite significant threats to the preservation of the Masungi ecosystem, we remain steadfast in our commitment to collaborate with local and international institutions to conserve our invaluable natural heritage.
We are confident that RBG Kew will provide a secure sanctuary for these seeds, and we look forward to fruitful and lasting partnership with this esteemed botanical research center together with UPLB MNH.”
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The seed donation was carefully inspected and approved by Joanna Bates, Head of Plant Health and Quarantine at RBG Kew, ensuring compliance with UK plant health regulations. Kew’s expert horticulturists will now work on germinating these seeds in the Tropical Nursery, which houses one of the world’s most diverse collections of tropical plants.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, renowned for its efforts in conservation and research, continues to protect global plant and fungal biodiversity. As a charity, Kew relies on the support of its visitors to sustain its gardens and advance its mission.
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