A population study of the world’s rarest maple offers hope for the endangered species, a conservationist says.
Dan Crowley, tree conservation manager at Westonbirt Arboretum in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, was part of a research team that mapped the Amami maple on an island in southern Japan.
Their research found that only 12 mature Amami maples exist in the wild, but the discovery of three female specimens could help ensure the species’ reproductive chances.
“While we are pleased that the wild status… is better than we feared, the species is still on the brink of extinction,” Mr Crowley said.
The team, consisting of experts from the University of British Columbia and the University of Osaka, took part in the first comprehensive survey of the world’s rarest maple on Amami-Oshihma Island.
They said they were encouraged by the presence of females and seedlings, but added that the species’ population remains “dangerously small”.
“We were concerned that there were no females in the population, but five of the trees flowered and three of those were female. So while it’s not great, it’s better than we thought,” Mr Crowley said.
“We’ve also seen a lot of seedlings and a lot of younger trees, so there’s hope that they’ll become established and the population will expand slightly.”
Globally, one in five maple species is at high risk of extinction and requires conservation measures.
Ikuyo Saeki from Osaka University said: “We unexpectedly found many regenerating trees. This is definitely an exciting discovery.
“I hope our team can obtain more information about the site’s reproduction, genetic diversity and vegetation, and that we can continue to communicate with local people and government organizations for future conservation.”
There are five Amami maples in Westonbirt, planted a number of years ago and they flower every May.
“There are more Amami maples in gardens in the south of England than in the wild,” Mr Crowley said.
“Collections of threatened species in botanical gardens such as the Westonbirt Arboretum are one place where plants can be protected.
“To secure the future, we would like to see a genetically diverse collection planted in places like Westonbirt Arboretum and botanical collections around the world.”
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