Specieswatch: Snowdrop

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/25/specieswatch-snowdrop-endangered

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The Flower of Hope or common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, is showing itself in gardens and will soon be attracting visitors to woodlands and churchyards, where these first flowers of spring can grow in carpets of white.

When it occurs in such profusion in Britain it is hard to believe that this bulb is variously classed as a critically endangered species, vulnerable or threatened in half a dozen European countries. But these classifications apply to the snowdrop in its native habitat. Left unmolested the snowdrop would not be in trouble but this is the most widely traded bulb in the world. In many places where it occurs naturally almost all specimens have been dug up to sell to gardeners.

In an attempt to preserve the remaining populations in isolated woods in countries like Spain, Hungary, Romania, the Netherlands and the Ukraine all international trade was banned in 1990 except under licence.

Altogether there are 20 separate species of snowdrop identified in the wild, many with very tiny populations. These rare snowdrops are said to be in danger because of climate change. Even if unmolested it is feared relict populations may be lost because of drought or destruction of their woodland habitat.

The key to the snowdrop’s survival is the foraging ant. When it is warm enough for bees to pollinate the flowers snowdrops produce seeds with tempting attachments called elaiosomes containing fats and proteins, which ants carry off down tunnels and feed to their larvae. This successfully distributes the seeds to new locations.

Although there are claims than snowdrops occur naturally in the West Country the scientific consensus is that there are no native species to the UK. The bulbs are thought to have been introduced around the 1770s.

There is also a connection with the Crimean War. Unlike the poppy’s association with the blood spilt in the First World War the purity of the snowdrop enchanted the soldiers bogged down in Crimea (1853-1856). The flowers heralded spring on the battlefield. Many survivors brought the bulbs back to plant in their gardens.

Although they are most commonly known as snowdrops this plant’s Latin name means “milk like flower” because it is said to have the appearance of three drops of milk hanging from a stem.

The plant’s popularity still seems to be increasing despite the fact that snowdrops are not the easiest bulbs to grow. They like damp ground, particularly in woodland and chalky soils. Unlike most bulbs that are bought dormant and planted in the autumn to flower in the spring snowdrops are best planted “in the green” when they have just finished flowering and the leaves have not died back. With luck they will then establish themselves and flower the next year.

The bulbs that will be on sale “in the green” in a few weeks will all be cultivated varieties of which there are dozens. Rarities are collected by snowdrop obsessives called Galanthophiles (after the Latin name). These enthusiasts swap hybrids, create new varieties and propagate and revive almost lost Victorian species. Many of these snowdrops carry the name of the person who bred them and have been known to fetch £600 each. It seems unlikely with this harmless kind of English eccentric on their side that the snowdrop will disappear on this side of the Channel.