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The plant species Sesbania tomentosa (‘ōhai; Fabaceae) is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, federally listed as endangered in the USA and has been proposed for categorization as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In 2021, c. 12,000 seeds from 12 seed lots collected during 1990–1992 from across the Hawaiian Islands were discovered in ambient herbarium conditions (55% relative humidity (RH) at 20 °C). International gene bank standards suggest drying seeds in equilibrium with 15% RH and stored at −18 °C. To investigate seed viability, we mechanically scarified then sowed 15 seeds from each accession at daily alternating regimes of 12 h light and 12 h dark at temperatures of 25/15 °C, respectively. Germination was observed after 7 days and ended after 34 days. Mean final germination was 88.9 ± SD 0.1% (range 73–100%). Each seed lot was accessioned into the National Tropical Botanical Garden's Seed Bank and Laboratory. In seeds with a water-impermeable seed coat (i.e. physical dormancy), such as S. tomentosa, seeds can desorb but not absorb water. Therefore, if the seeds were initially dried, although exposed to high RH for up to 32 years, seed equilibrium RH may have remained low, which may in part explain the observed high germinability. This study holds significance for managers who are working to conserve this endangered Hawaiian species and suggests that even suboptimal conditions may still yield highly viable seeds several decades into the future.

The plant species Sesbania tomentosa ('ōhai; Fabaceae) is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, federally listed as endangered in the USA and has been proposed for categorization as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In 2021, c. 12,000 seeds from 12 seed lots collected during 1990–1992 from across the Hawaiian Islands were discovered in ambient herbarium conditions (55% relative humidity (RH) at 20 °C). International gene bank standards suggest drying seeds in equilibrium with 15% RH and stored at −18 °C. To investigate seed viability, we mechanically scarified then sowed 15 seeds from each accession at daily alternating regimes of 12 h light and 12 h dark at temperatures of 25/15 °C, respectively. Germination was observed after 7 days and ended after 34 days. Mean final germination was 88.9 ± SD 0.1% (range 73–100%). Each seed lot was accessioned into the National Tropical Botanical Garden's Seed Bank and Laboratory. In seeds with a water-impermeable seed coat (i.e. physical dormancy), such as S. tomentosa , seeds can desorb but not absorb water. Therefore, if the seeds were initially dried, although exposed to high RH for up to 32 years, seed equilibrium RH may have remained low, which may in part explain the observed high germinability. This study holds significance for managers who are working to conserve this endangered Hawaiian species and suggests that even suboptimal conditions may still yield highly viable seeds several decades into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University began an ambitious plant acquisition program: The Campaign for the Living Collections. Prior to the initiative's launch, the Arboretum underwent several years of strategic planning to assess the values, strengths, and gaps within its renowned living collection of temperate woody plants and then set goals that would profoundly shape the collection and its research and conservation potential for decades if not for centuries. Core genera, conservation value, phylogenetic breadth, biogeography, and climate change responses were among the priority themes used to generate a targeted list of 395 desiderata to acquire from wild populations. In only a few years, the Campaign's 26 formal expeditions and other acquisition efforts have yielded 631 accessions of 263 highest-priority desiderata, representing 66.6% of the overall goal. This venture represents one of the most transformative and deliberate collection development activities at the Arnold Arboretum and among botanical gardens in the current era. These successes are due to a combination of factors that include visionary yet realistic strategic planning and goal setting, adherence to high standards of documentation and reporting, and authentic relationship building among collaborators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University began an ambitious plant acquisition program: The Campaign for the Living Collections. Prior to the initiative’s launch, the Arboretum underwent several years of strategic planning to assess the values, strengths, and gaps within its renowned living collection of temperate woody plants and then set goals that would profoundly shape the collection and its research and conservation potential for decades if not for centuries. Core genera, conservation value, phylogenetic breadth, biogeography, and climate change responses were among the priority themes used to generate a targeted list of 395 desiderata to acquire from wild populations. In only a few years, the Campaign’s 26 formal expeditions and other acquisition efforts have yielded 631 accessions of 263 highest-priority desiderata, representing 66.6% of the overall goal. This venture represents one of the most transformative and deliberate collection development activities at the Arnold Arboretum and among botanical gardens in the current era. These successes are due to a combination of factors that include visionary yet realistic strategic planning and goal setting, adherence to high standards of documentation and reporting, and authentic relationship building among collaborators.

Even though plants represent an essential part of our lives offering exploitational, supporting and cultural services, we know very little about the biology of the rarest and most threatened plant species, and even less about their conservation status. Rapid changes in the environment and climate, today more pronounced than ever, affect their fitness and distribution causing rapid species declines, sometimes even before they had been discovered. Despite the high goals set by conservationists to protect native plants from further degradation and extinction, the initiatives for the conservation of threatened species in Europe are scattered and have not yielded the desired results. The main aim of this Action is to improve plant conservation in Europe through the establishment of a network of scientists and other stakeholders who deal with different aspects of plant conservation, from plant taxonomy, ecology, conservation genetics, conservation physiology and reproductive biology to protected area's managers, not forgetting social scientists, who are crucial when dealing with the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]