Making News

The living collections at The Preserve are part of the science and conservation program that is working to have ex-situ collections of all 89 endemic plant species in the Bahamian Archipelago.  These collections are part of the Bahamas National Trusts commitment to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation.  They are the basis for growing endemic plants for use in the landscape and horticultural trade to ensure their continued survival. 

A recent trip to Great Inagua by resident Botanist, Dr. Ethan Freid, brought an additional set of endemic plant species and their close relatives to the Levy Preserve. Some, such as Euphorbia gymnonota and Ernodea serratifolia, were collected as living specimens and planted directly in the display beds.

Euphorbia gymnonota	Ernodea serratifolia
Others such as Galactia bahamensis fruits were collected and then the seeds brought back and germinated in the Lath House.
Galactia bahamensis	Galactia bahamensis seedling in Lath House
One of the highlights was collection of Agave nashii; known only from the southern shoreline of Great Inagua and nowhere else.
Other interesting collections were two cacti Consolea nashii and Mammilaria ekmanii and the aquatic fern Marsilea nashii.
Consolea nashii	Mammilaria ekmanii
Marsilea nashii
With the additional living collections from Great Inagua the Preserve has 30 endemic species and an additional eight species ready to germinate in the coming months. Photos courtesy of Ethan Freid.