 87=1355 Lactoris fernandeziana paleoherb of Juan Fernandez Islands 32 degrees south 400 miles west of Valparaiso Chile Delbert Wiens photo 1990 | Lactoris fernandeziana was discovered 1860s, feared extinct in 1955 by Swedish Skottsberg, specialist on Pacific Island floras.In October 1988 Harvard conservation biologist Edward O. Wilson suggested John Barrett write Ghillean Prance, then new as Director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Richmond, Surrey England about the systematic importance of Lactoris in "paleoherbs." Prance turned the letter over to Delbert Wiens of University of Utah, who went to Juan Fernandez January 1990 with Tod Stuessy and Dan Crawford of Ohio State, who suspected the principal population might be on an inaccessible cliff "El Yunque" where several hundred plants were found. Wiens did considerable work propagating the Lactoris shrubs from difficult tiny seeds.He made these photos and took one plant to Kew, where it bloomed 1999 in Alpine Plant Collection. Dan Crawford did molecular studies that indicated the closest relative of Lactoris is family Aristolochiacae - wild ginger, Dutchman's breeches - genera Aristolochia, Asarum.Wiens also took these photos and gave a set to John Barrett |
 87-1356 Lactoris fernandeziana in blossom photo by Delbert Wiens university of Utah | Lactoris has a trimerous three-parted flower- one of the simplest known flowers morphologically. William Burger of Field Museum, specialist on Piperales black pepper family raised question whether these flowers are primitive or reduced. Molecular data now indicate that Amborella of New Caledonia is probably the oldest living branch of flowering plants - it is insect pollinated, with fragrances and large tepals as are Calycanthus, Idiospermum, Austrobaileya -which also appear to be very ancient lines, with complex shikimate-pathway chemicals as suggested by phytochemists Kubitzki and Gottlieb in August 1984 paper in journal Taxon. Lactoris is old but not as old as these - its pollen and seed are spread by wind, and features designed to attract insects have been lost- the flower is reduced, and the tiny seeds designed for wind dispersal. Petunia, Salpiglossis, Orchid also have found very small seed advantageous. |
 87-1357 Main site of Lactoris fernadeziana extremely rare paleoherb on El Yunque cliff, Mas-A-Tierra {Robinson Crusoe Island} Juan Ferndandez group Chile |
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