IN June 1995, 12 seedlings of one of Britain's rarest orchids, the Fen Orchid (Liparis loeselii), were planted at one former and two extant sites in the Fens in Norfolk where they are being carefully monitored. This species has been declining through changes to its habitat, and the re-establishment work forms part of English Nature's Species Recovery Programme. The seedlings were raised using symbiotic techniques by the Sainsbury Orchid Conservation Project, one of Kew's projects administered by the Bentham-Moxon Trust. More plants are being produced in vitro for further re-establishment trials.
In February 1996, 39 dormant tubers of Orchis laxiflora, the lax-flowered orchid, were planted at a former site on Jersey that had been managed under a hay meadow regime for the past two years. Seed had been collected in 1992 from the main site for the orchid on the island. The work was undertaken at the request of the National Trust for Jersey.

Above: Margaret Ramsay planting out Liparis seedlings at a former site in Norfolk.

Contact : Margaret Ramsay (0181-332 5559)

Email: Margaret Ramsay

THE Species Recovery Programme for Pyrus cordata has used the conclusions of molecular research, supervised by Dr Alastair Culham at the University of Reading and supported by English Nature, to design an experimental population that will maximise the retention of existing genetic variation and facilitate seed production. The design is based on RAPD data which indicates that there are two genotypes in the UK, one in Truro and one in Plymouth. Despite many individual stems, no genetic variation has been found within either population, which indicates that asexual reproduction has occurred by suckers.
Planting of both parental genotypes, and seedlings raised from controlled hybridisations between them, commenced in November 1995 at a location isolated from domestic pears on the National Trust's estate at Lanhydrock. This process should be completed by 1999 and the plants should start sexual reproduction by 2010.

Above: The Curator, Nigel Taylor, planting Pyrus cordata at Lanhydrock.

Contact: Andy Jackson (0181-332 5054)

Email: Andy Jackson

The Bentham-Moxon Trust

The Bentham-Moxon Trust (founded 1885) is a registered charity comprising 25 general and special trusts and funds. It is managed by a Board of Trustees and employs one full and one part-time support staff. 'Bentham-Moxon' has been intimately involved in the scientific and horticultural life of Kew for 110 years. For example it has provided support to botanists and scientific assistants (over 120 people); commissioned botanical art (Curtis's Botanical Magazine; 15 artists) and portraits; purchased books (numerous; £10,000 towards the purchase of Banks' Florilegium, 1995), herbarium specimens (J. Percival's wheat collection, 1928), maps (African), photographs (W.C. Davies collection of New Zealand vegetation photographs taken prior to deforestation, 1930), correspondence (Banks, Hooker), and botanical artefacts (S. Loch's Greek dye plants and samples of dyed wool, 1938); and supported plant collecting in little-explored places (Augustine Henry in W. China, 1888). It also publishes Curtis's Botanical Magazine and books (e.g. J.D. Snowden's The Cultivated Races of Sorghum).
During the last few decades it has acted increasingly as an agency for projects ranging from Floras (Brunei, Cyprus, Iraq, Tropical East Africa, Zambesiaca, Ceylon, Mascarenes, Ethiopia) to research on conservation (Allium, wild bulbs, seed banking, CITES projects), taxonomy (Inga) and genetic resources (cultivated peppers). Notable special funds are the Sainsbury Orchid Trust Fund for orchid conservation research, the Marjorie Hurley Bequest for conservation of wild flowers at Kew and Wakehurst Place, and the Krukoff Fund supporting the B.A. Krukoff Curator of African Botany. Two recent funds commemorate distinguished Kew botanists: the Pat Brenan Memorial Fund to promote field studies in the tropics, and the Jan Gillett Mounters' Fund. Bentham-Moxon also manages six prizes and two scholarships for Kew horticultural students.
Kew thanks Peter Cavalier, the recently retired secretary, for his excellent stewardship. Paul Davies, the Trust's archivist and assistant secretary (0181-332-5222), is gathering information for a history of the Trust.

Prof. Charles Stirton