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 Magnolia Wilsonii thrives in gardens in Northern Europe |
MAGNOLIAS UNDER THREAT Magnolias may be blooming in Britain’s gardens this spring, but in the wild it’s an altogether different story. Over half the world’s magnolia species are facing extinction in their native forest habitats, according to an authoritative new report from two leading plant conservation organisations. The Red List of the Magnoliaceae 1, 2, published jointly today by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) 3 and Fauna & Flora International (FFI) 4, through the Global Trees Campaign (GTC) 5, identifies 131 wild magnolias as being in danger of extinction, from a global total of 245 species. The significance of this potentially catastrophic loss lies not only in the threat to the genetic diversity of the family, but also because they are a highly sensitive indicator of the well-being of the forests in which they are found. Magnolias are among the most ancient groups of flowering plants and have long been cultivated by mankind. Some specimens growing in the precincts of Chinese temples are estimated to be up to 800 years old. Still popular as ornamental plants in gardens around the world (although fewer than 15 species are common in cultivation), in the wild magnolias are a source of timber, food and medicines for local communities |