01 Dec 2009

Plant story - Eremophila sp. is one of 550 species being collected in Australia

Eremophila "A48866 Rainbow Valley" is one of a number of seeds being collected in Australia as part of the Northern Territory project.

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Immature fruit and flower of Eremophila

Immature fruit and flower of Eremophila (Photo: K. Baker)

Northern Territory project

The Northern Territory became a Millennium Seed Bank partner in November 2004. This region covers approximately 1.35 million km2 and extends from the arid inland of the continent to the northern tropics. The project is based in Alice Springs, which has a population of approximately 28 000 people and is located near the centre of Australia. The aim of the Northern Territory project is to collect 550 species over six years that are not already held within Kew's Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, West Sussex. As of August 2006, approximately 170 species had been collected and lodged at Wakehurst.

A number of botanically significant species have been collected to date, including Eremophila "A48866 Rainbow Valley". This prostrate shrub is classified as nationally vulnerable, having only known seven populations. These populations are found within an area of 25 x 61 km south of Alice Springs on red dune sand country. Field observations suggest that the germination of this species is stimulated by fire.

Story by Katherine Baker | More plant stories

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We have successfully banked 10% of the world's wild plant species and we have set our sights on saving 25% by 2020.

Without plants there could be no life on earth, and yet every day another four plant species face extinction. Too often when we hear these kind of statistics there is little that we can do as individuals, but thanks to Kew's Millennium Seed Bank partnership and the Adopt a Seed, Save a Species campaign there is something that you can do to ensure the survival of a plant species.

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