Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) held its second exhibition on rare and endangered tropical plants to greet the 76th birthday of China. The theme of the exhibition is “Protecting national treasures -- China’s rare and endangered tropical plants”. It aims to raise public awareness and engagement in plant diversity conservation through an integrated display of living plants and scientific education.
A total of 109 rare and endangered tropical plants, belonging to 36 families, are on display. Among them,82 are under national key protection, including 18 Grade I and 64 Grade II protected species. 43 are species with extremely small populations, 34 are threatened species recorded in China's Biodiversity Red List, and 52 are threatened species assessed by the IUCN Red List
The exhibition includes a diverse range of ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms, showcasing their unique adaptation strategies and survival mechanisms across various habitats.
Highlighted species include those with significant ecological and research value, such as Parashorea chinensis and Dipterocarpus retusus, both at the national level I of protected plants. Some plants renowned for their medicinal and ornamental qualities, like Cibotium barometz and Dracaena cambodiana are on display.
Furthermore, it draws attention to species threatened by multiple factors, such as Ptisana pellucida and Cycas multipinnata, as well as critically endangered species like Curcuma exigua, which is reportedly extinct in the wild and now survives only in ex-situ conservation at a few botanical gardens in China.
The science popularization plates provide detailed information on the biological characteristics, habitats, conservation status, and primary protection methods of the displaying plants.
The exhibition lasts from October 1 to 15, at the Commemorative Plant Garden of XTBG.
