Canary bell flower

The Canary bell flower (Canarina canariensis) is a winter-flowering scrambler native to the species-rich laurel forests of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma and La Gomera in the Canary Islands.

Laurel forest in the Canaries

Laurel forest is a unique vegetation type including many species that are found only within an individual area or island. These are known as endemic species.

Canary bell flower in bloom

Endemic species can become vulnerable if their habitat changes. The stiff-textured orange blooms of the Canary bell flower appear adapted to pollination by sunbirds, even though sunbirds are no longer found in the Canary Islands.

Canarian chiffchaff

Luckily, the species is now pollinated by other birds, including the Canarian chiffchaff (Phylloscopus canariensis).

Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank

Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) works with partners in many island regions to collect seeds from endemic wild plants. By 2020 the MSB aims to have conserved and secured seeds from a quarter of the world’s wild plant species.