Propagation and reintroduction of Caladenia

Magali Wright; Rob Cross; Kingsley Dixon; Tien Huynh; Ann Lawrie; Les Nesbitt; Andrew Pritchard; Nigel Swarts; Richard Thomson

doi:10.1071/BT08137

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Propagation and reintroduction of Caladenia

Magali Wright ^A ^B ^H , Rob Cross ^B , Kingsley Dixon ^C , Tien Huynh ^D , Ann Lawrie ^D , Les Nesbitt ^E , Andrew Pritchard ^F , Nigel Swarts ^C and Richard Thomson ^B ^G

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Melbourne School of Land and Environment, Burnley Campus, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Blvd, Richmond, Vic. 3121, Australia.

^B Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra, Vic. 3141, Australia.

^C Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Fraser Avenue, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.

^D Biotechnology & Environmental Biology, School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, Vic. 3083, Australia.

^E PO BOX 72, Walkerville, SA 5081, Australia.

^F Department of Sustainability and Environment, 78 Henna Street, Warrnambool, Vic. 3280, Australia.

^G Australasian Native Orchid Society (Victorian Group), PO Box 354, Glen Waverley, Vic. 3150, Australia.

^H Corresponding author. Email: mmwright@unimelb.edu.au

Australian Journal of Botany 57(4) 373-387 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT08137
Submitted: 31 July 2008 Accepted: 12 January 2009 Published: 29 July 2009

Abstract

Many Caladenia species have been reduced to extremely small and/or fragmented populations, and reintroduction/translocation into natural or rehabilitated habitats, by using ex situ propagated plants or via direct seeding, represents an important adjunct in conservation planning. However, Caladenia species are some of the most difficult terrestrial orchid taxa to propagate, in part because of the specificity of the mycorrhizal associations and the need to provide growing conditions that suit both the mycorrhizal fungi and Caladenia plants. The present paper reviews recent advances in Caladenia propagation and reintroduction methods, including in vitro seed germination, transferral from in vitro to nursery environments, ex vitro symbiotic germination (germination in inoculated nursery media), nursery cultivation, the use of nurse plants and reintroduction of Caladenia into natural habitats by using seed, dormant tubers or growing plants. Techniques discussed in the present paper increase the options for future Caladenia conservation programs, especially for those species currently on the brink of extinction.

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the following people for information for recent Caladenia reintroductions and translocations: Kate Vlcek, Gary French, Geoff Nevill, Pauline Rudolph and David Pitts. We also thank Dr Hanne Rasmussen for her comments on the manuscript.

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Propagation and reintroduction of Caladenia

Abstract

Acknowledgements

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