Advancing conservation strategies for the endangered Galapagos plant Lecocarpus lecocarpoides: insights from ex situ propagation

ABSTRACT: The Galapagos Islands, renowned for their unique biodiversity, face a growing crisis, with over half of their endemic vascular plants under threat of extinction. Among the threatened flora, Lecocarpus lecocarpoides is classified as endangered, but is one of the least studied species. We present novel insights into the biology of L. lecocarpoides, acquired during the propagation of individuals for subsequent transplantation into their native habitat. The study encompasses seed viability, germination, growth, phenology, and morphology. Herbarium seeds were shown to remain viable for over 2 decades, highlighting the potential for seed bank conservation. In our germination experiment, which began with just 50 seeds, seed scarification resulted in a high germination rate of 75%. The resulting seedlings were planted in 2 sizes of pots and nurtured as seed producers. The plants in larger pots grew on average twice as tall and with nearly double the stem diameter of those in smaller pots. They yielded over 8000 seeds for conservation efforts, providing information on the development and fruit production capacity of L. lecocarpoides. We show differences in diaspore spine length between L. lecocarpoides populations, supporting the distinction of 2 L. lecocarpoides subspecies. Our findings provide essential data to inform conservation strategies for this endemic Galapagos species.