Impact of Population Structure, Growth Habit and Seedling Ecology on Regeneration of Embelia ribes Burm. f. —Approaches toward a Quasi in Situ Conservation Strategy

摘要

Embelia ribes Burm f., also known as Vidanga or Baibidanga, belonging to the family of Myrsinaceae, is an important but vulnerable medicinal woody climber. Recent survey and observations of E. ribes in different aspects like distribution, population structure, growth habit, climate, natural regeneration and seedling ecology in Karnataka have been thoroughly discussed. This is the first report on artificial regeneration through seeds of diverse origins in ex-situ and in situ conditions and field planting of them in its natural environment. Field planting of in vitro and nursery raised seedlings showed better field performance in terms of survival and growth in its natural growing areas only. Current studies and observations have shown that this species has low ecological gradient and is a “habitat specialist”. E. ribes being a threatened species with small populations coupled with low ecological gradient and virtually no natural regeneration, a modified approach of quasi in situ conservation where in in-situ raising of seedlings of diverse origin with an aim to enrich the diversity of existing population was attempted with considerable success.