Fri, May 28, 2004 page2

• Researchers rediscover species

  ENVIRONMENT Ecologists have demonstrated their detective skills, having found in southern Taiwan the Wuwei Camellia tree, a species not seen since the 1930s

  • By Chiu Yu-Tzu / STAFF REPORTER
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  Wuwei Camellia (武威山茶), a Taiwanese endemic species which had been not seen since 1930s and was believed extinct, was rediscovered early this year in southern Taiwan, researchers said yesterday.

  The discovery was made by ecologists involved in a conservation project sponsored by the Council of Agriculture (COA).

  Since last year, dozens of ecologists involved in a project to classify and map vegetation have been collecting rare species in remote areas islandwide. In January, participants in the project were inspired by the rediscovery of a camellia, once thought to be extinct, in southern Taiwan.

  When conducting research on Chenli Mountain in Pingtung County, ecologists from the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology spotted unusual blossoms. Samples they collected from two trees were identified as Wuwei Camellia, which has not been seen since the 1930s.

  At a press conference in Taipei, tissues from the tree cultivated in tubes were shown to the media.

  "We don't know how long they will survive. But we should keep alert to the fragility of nature," said Li Chia-wei (李家維), director of the National Museum of Natural Science.

  According to Hsieh Chang-fu (謝長富), professor of the Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at National Taiwan University, Wuwei Camillia, whose scientific name is Camellia buisanensis Sasaki, was first recorded by Augustine Henry, an Irish physician and plant collector, in 1892 in southern Taiwan. The sample of the plant, which had not been classified, was later given to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

  Hsieh said that available documents suggested the camellia was collected several times in the late 1910s and early 1920s. But it had not be appropriately classified until 1931, when Japanese ecologist Syuniti Sasaki studied it. Sasaki's research paper suggested the plant grew on Wuwei Mountain.

  "Since the 1930s, however, no record of the camellia being observed had been reported," Hsieh said.

  The mystery aroused the curiosity of the Taiwanese ecologists. Over the past eight years, Hsieh and other ecologists had tried to determine the location of the mountain.

  Since the Wanchin Basilica in Wanchin Village, Pingtung County, was once an inn for Western researchers, ecologists decided to explore the mountains nearby. Finally, they concluded that Wutsang Mountain (武藏山) was called Wuwei Mountain decades ago and began to search for species.

  "The rapidly changing environment resulting from land use in hills about 900m above sea level made it impossible for the Wuwei Camellia to survive," Hsieh said.

  King Hen-biau (金恆鑣), director-general the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, said Wuwei Camellia was just one species in need of protection.

  "We can't deny that more species became extinct because of human-centered development," King said.

  King said that monitoring by non-governmental organizations, academic research and good legislation are the three pillars of ecological conservation ensuring biological diversity.

  Yen Jen-te (顏仁德), director of the Taiwan Forestry Bureau under the COA, said government programs have helped with conservation efforts.

  "So far we have rediscovered 29 species in Taiwan. They were all once thought to be extinct," Yen said.
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