Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, receives donation of purple jade vine seeds from the Masungi Georeserve Foundation in the Philippines

Yesterday (Thursday 25 July) at Kew Gardens in London, a delegation from the Masungi Georeserve Foundation and University of the Philippines Los Baños – Museum of Natural History donated a collection of seeds from the Philippines to Kew’s expert team of horticulturists. The seeds are from the purple jade vine (Strongylodon juangonzalezii) and will be cultivated at Kew, with successful plants to be placed on display to the public within the next 3 – 5 years. This donation marks the first time that this plant will be grown anywhere outside of the Philippines and represents a vital opportunity to learn more about this unique plant, which was only described as new to science in 2016. 

Strongylodon juangonzalezii is a species of leguminous perennial liana (woody vine) endemic to the tropical forests of the Philippines. Known in the Philippines as JC’s vine, it was described to science in 2016 from specimens collected from the Buenavista Protected Landscape of Mulaney, in the Quezon Province, and has subsequently been identified growing in the Masungi Georeserve of Rizal. The plant climbs and coils up to forest canopies, usually in secondary growth forests, with flowers blooming in clusters, transforming from vibrant lilac to electric blue as the plant matures.  

The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change anywhere in the world, with only 3% of primary rainforests remaining intact due to widespread deforestation and the lack of environmental enforcement. Located just 47 kilometers east of Metro Manila, the Masungi Georeserve is a karst ecosystem that is constantly threatened by urbanization and land use change.  

In 2017, the Masungi Geopark Project of the Masungi Georeserve Foundation became one of the largest collaborative reforestation efforts in the Philippines, with the restoration of 2,000 hectares of land, and the establishment of 17 ranger stations and 18km of monitoring trails. To date, 140,000 native trees have been planted and are being nurtured as part of a vital drive to create the secondary growth forests which endemic biodiversity like the purple jade vine rely on to survive.   

Simon Toomer, Head of Living Collections at RBG Kew, said: “We are delighted to have been asked by the Masungi Georeserve Foundation to receive this donation of seeds. Being described as new to science less than 10 years ago means that there is still much to learn about the purple jade vine, so this donation provides us with a wonderful opportunity to find out more about this stunning species, whilst sharing knowledge with the Georeserve so they can continue their conservation efforts in the Philippines. In time, we hope that visitors to Kew Gardens will also be able to see this spectacular plant on display for themselves, and we are of course very excited at the prospect of being the only place in the world outside of the Philippines to have the opportunity to cultivate the species.” 

Billie Dumaliang, Director for Advocacy of MGFI said during the ceremony: “The Masungi Georeserve is one of the few habitats of S. juangonzalezii, in the wild. Despite significant threats to the preservation of the Masungi ecosystem, we remain steadfast in our commitment to collaborate with local and international institutions to conserve our invaluable natural heritage. We are confident that RBG Kew will provide a secure sanctuary for these seeds, and we look forward to fruitful and lasting partnership with this esteemed botanical research center together with UPLB MNH.” 

Before the seeds could be donated to Kew they were inspected and approved by Joanna Bates, Head of Plant Health and Quarantine at RBG Kew. Transfer of plant material in and out of the Gardens is strictly monitored and anything arriving in the UK from abroad must have a valid phytosanitary certificate – a document certifying the plant material is free of pests and disease and meets all the legal requirements to cross UK borders. RBG Kew’s expert horticulturists will now set aside a number of the seeds to germinate and grow behind the scenes in Kew’s Tropical Nursery, ultimately for future display in Kew’s glasshouses. The Tropical Nursery at Kew Gardens is home to some of the world’s most interesting tropical plants, cultivated for research, conservation and display in the Gardens. It is the most diverse plant collection in cultivation anywhere in the world. The spectacular purple jade vine plants are hoped to be on display at Kew Gardens in the coming years.  

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is dedicated to harnessing the power of plants and fungi to end the extinction crisis and secure a future for all life on Earth. With Kew’s world-leading research, global partnerships and beloved gardens – home to the world’s most diverse collections of plants and fungi – Kew is using its trusted voice to shape policy and practice worldwide. As a charity Kew relies on the critical support of its visitors, not only to sustain the gardens, but to protect global plant and fungal biodiversity for the benefit of our planet and humanity. 

ENDS