Losing Paradise? to Open at Kew

Shirley Sherwood Gallery
of Botanical Art
Photo courtesy
 of RBG Kew

After its debut at the Missouri Botanical Garden in October of 2009 and its subsequent tour around the United States in 2010, Losing Paradise? opens at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK on Saturday June 25th, 2011 as part of a broader exhibition Plants in Peril at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art.  The exhibit runs thru Sunday, October 16th.  All 44 paintings from the Losing Paradise? travelling exhibition will be on display portraying threatened and endangered plants from North & South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Also running this summer (thru July 31st) at The New York Botanical Garden is the ASBA curated Green Currency, Plants in the Economy exhibition of botanical art.  For more information visit http://www.asbagreencurrency.blogspot.com/.

Losing Paradise? in Your Classroom

The latest issue of Smithsonian in Your Classroom produced by the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies and distributed to school districts across the country is titled Botany & Art and their role in conservation and is based on ASBA's Losing Paradise? exhibition.

The magazine provides lesson plans that introduce students to plant conservation and take them through the process of creating their own botanical illustration. Students compare herbarium specimens, photographs, and artwork of six endangered plants all from Losing Paradise? Endangered Plants Here & Around the World.

Materials may be reproduced by teachers for use in the classroom and are available for download at http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/botany/

Wollemi Pine, Watercolor by Beverly Allen, Australia

Wollemia nobilis

Listings: Critically Endangered, IUCN Red List; Endangered, Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act

The Plant’s Story:

The distribution of fossil remains indicates Wollemia nobilis was once widespread in Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica, but it was thought to have been extinct for about 2 million years. Its discovery in 1994 by David Noble, a ranger with the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service in Australia, stunned the plant world. Found about 100 miles outside of Sydney in a deep narrow canyon in the rugged Wollemi National Park, its home is protected as Critical Habitat and is now off-limits to all but a few scientists and rangers. Wollemi National Park is part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area of Australia, a 2.5 million acre natural area known for its rare fauna and flora and included on the World Heritage list.

The Artist’s Story: Beverly Allen

The location of surviving trees in the wild is closely guarded, and access is extremely difficult and restricted to necessary scientific research. I contacted the Botanic Gardens Trust, which I knew had been involved in propagating the tree. Working with research scientists, I was given access to living plant materials at the Trust’s research facility at Mount Annan Botanic Garden. The graceful form of the leaves and branches and intricate pattern and detail have been a delight to paint.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Cyprus Tulip, Watercolor by Gillian Barlow, UK

Tulipa cypria

Listing: Endangered, Red Data List of Cyprus

The Plant’s Story:

Many Cyprian plants are threatened by habitat loss, in part due to the impact of building and mass tourism around the coastal areas, as well as heavy grazing and fertilizer use on poor land. The lowlands host habitats of thickets, open scrubland, coastal dune ecosystems, marshes and two salt lakes, important for winter migrating birds. During the rainy season, wildflowers follow one another, beginning with scillas and narcissus, then cyclamen, anemones, lilies, and of course, the beautiful red Cyprus tulip. It is found at three locations on Cyprus, in the northern Akamas peninsula, near Mammari, and in the area bounded by Myrtou and Kormakitis-Panagra.

The Artist’s Story: Gillian Barlow

Visiting Cyprus with a holiday group, mostly of bird watchers, I met Dr. Yiannis Christophides, who was our expert botanist leader. On that first visit, he prepared so well, showed us so much, and was so passionately concerned with his native island’s botany and wildlife that I longed to return for a longer and more flower-focused visit. Since then I have done so several times. We have driven all over the island to search for special rarities some of which I sketch, beginning to paint the series of endemic and endangered plants of which this was the first subject.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Ring Gentian, Pen and Ink by Bobbi Angell, US

Symbolanthus jasonii

Listing: Newly discovered, not yet listed. Using IUCN criteria it is critically endangered.

The Plant’s Story:

Symbolanthus jasonii, a member of the Gentian family, was collected for the first time during a recent expedition to the poorly-studied Cordillera del Condor on the Ecuadorian-Peruvian border. The plant is 10-feet tall sparsely distinct from other species in the region. This area of South America is dotted with neotropical montane microhabitats that are surrounded by large disturbed areas, so individual plant populations can be many miles apart. Many plants here are found in a very small area, so the odds of any given species being lost completely to habitat conversion is high.

The Artist’s Story: Bobbi Angell

I have drawn over 20 species and varieties of Symbolanthus, but most have been reconstructed from single pressed herbarium specimens. In contrast, the new species provided me with refreshingly complete material from which to prepare an illustration. I was able to dissect a pickled flower (a flower preserved in a liquid solution) to show the distinctive corona (the ‘ring’ that gives the genus its common name of Ring Gentian).

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Slipper Orchid, Watercolor by Angela Mirro, US

Phragmipedium kovachii

Listing: CITES Appendix I

The Plant’s Story:

The discovery of Phragmipedium kovachii set the botanical world alight and may be the most important orchid find in the past one hundred years. Its large size and brilliant color led many to wonder how it had remained so long secreted in the Peruvian jungle. Although reported to have been discovered in 2001 by a local farmer in northeastern Peru, it was brought to the public’s attention in mid-2002. In 2003, the Peruvian government, through its Department of Natural Resources authorized two established Peruvian plant nurseries to obtain five Phragmipdium kovachii from the wild for a captive breeding program.

The Artist’s Story: Angela Mirro

I first painted Phragmipediu kovachii in 2003. In May of that year, I traveled to Peru and joined a small group of Peruvians and Americans interested in seeing and studying the plant in its habitat. It was an experience I shall never forget! We embarked on a rough and treacherous trail. We were ill-prepared for what lay ahead. I decided to stay behind with a few other people. The others continued onward. A few days later, I was able to sketch and study one of the legally collected plants. Alfredo Manrique Sipan was kind enough to invite me to visit his nursery in Lima in late 2004, and there I started the painting exhibited here. I made many color studies and sketches from life, then completed the painting back in Brooklyn.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Slipper Orchid, Watercolor on Vellum by Carol Woodin, US

Paphiopedilum vietnamense

Listing: CITES Appendix I

The Plant’s Story:

For untold centuries in a remote area of northern Vietnam, this handsome slipper orchid graced a dramatic landscape of eroded crystalline cliffs and crevices. Undisturbed under a lush canopy of broad-leaved evergreen forest until its discovery in 1997, the attractive variegated plants were abundant in this setting, forming extensive colonies. Sadly the wild populations of this striking orchid were plundered within days of their discovery. Local people, dispatched by a commercial orchid company, collected mass quantities of this orchid and others for the horticultural trade. When CITES-listed plants, illegally imported into the country are seized by U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors, they offer to repatriate them to the country of origin. When return of seized plants is not possible, they are sent to one of 62 participating institutions around the country in its Plant Rescue Center Program. The plants remain the property of the U.S. Government but the institutions are allowed to propogate them and the offspring become the property of that Center. The bittersweet result is that this slipper orchid has become plentiful and available everywhere people avidly grow orchids…but not in its natural habitat where only a sparse population can still be found. (Thomas Mirenda, Orchid Collection Specialist, Smithosonian Institution)

The Artist’s Story: Carol Woodin

Having specialized in orchids for almost 20 years, I’ve sought them out in habitats and greenhouses in North and South America. Studying orchids in the wild brings its special challenges, first and foremost is taking care not to damage the habitat and especially the plants. They are also difficult to find, and are often at a great distance from roads. Once found, enduring mosquitoes and black flies, muck, hot sun and rain are all part of the deal and over time I learned that the more drawing and painting done while out there, the better the results in the studio. Before Slipper Orchids of Vietnam was published in 2003, Dr. Phillip Cribb, one of its authors asked whether I might be able to paint Paphiopedilum vietnamense for the cover. That first painting was done from the scientific description and detailed digital photos. Painting plants from photos is very difficult. Over the ensuing years since the book’s publications, seed-grown plants have matured, so it was a great pleasure to finally paint this plant from life.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Lycaste, Watercolor by Angela Mirro, US

Lycaste macrophylla

Listing: CITES, Appendix II

The Plant’s Story:

Lycaste orchids grow on tree branches or rocky outcrops and are a genus of about 50 species found in mid-elevation forests from Mexico through Bolivia. This Lycaste macrophylla is found from Nicaragua to Bolivia. The major factors that threaten its numbers are agriculture, logging, fires and the collecting of plants from the wild for horticulture.

In Peru, where the artist found this plant, there is a push to increase tourism, leading to worries about its impact on local communities, and on cultural and natural treasures. Restrictions have been increased on visitors to the 125 square mile Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary, a World Heritage Site that recently has seen 800,000 tourists a year. Hundreds of orchid species are found throughout the Sanctuary.

One of many private companies attempting to mediate the effects of visitorship and have a positive impact on natural, social and cultural environments is Inkaterra’s Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, part lodging, part sustainable ecotourism destination, and part conservation organization.

The Artist’s Store: Angela Mirro

The plant depicted in my painting was grown in the Orchid Trail at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, part of the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary. During my initial trip in 1997 I started sketching and painting studies of the orchids, to eventually return many times over the past twelve years. Lycast macrophylla interested me from the beginning and I finally completed the painting exhibited here in 2007.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Tupa Rosada, Watercolor by Ann Fleming, US

Lobelia bridgesii

Listing: Vulnerable, IUCN Red List

The Plant’s Story:

Chile’s temperate rainforest, where Lobelia bridgesii grows, has been identified as one of the world’s key biodiversity hotspots by Conservation International, known as the “Chilean Winter Rainfall – Valdivian Forests”. In 1991, the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Scotland initiated the International Conifer Conservation Program to inventory, research, and establish protected sites for the world’s conifers, with one of its focal points being the Chilean rainforest.

Rain forest trees of all kinds are being removed from the Valdivian forest for construction lumber and industrial and home fuel, both for domestic use and for export to countries as far-flung as Japan and North America. Plantations of non-native pine and eucalyptus trees are changing groundwater and soil composition, and affecting surrounding areas.

Lobelia bridgesii, called tupa rosada in Chile, is one of the giant lobelias, and it can be found in a tiny range of only about 6 miles. The Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, and the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, are collaborating on rainforest research and conservation efforts and have established in-captivity propagation programs.

The Artist’s Story: Ann Fleming

In July, 2007, anticipating a trip to Scotland to visit my mother, I learned from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s website that they have an extensive collection of very threatened plants from Chile. I contacted their conservation department and discussed my interest in finding a plant to illustrate for this exhibition. I was able to arrange a day at the Garden. Lobelia was prolific, growing up to 5’ tall in a walled garden. I was able to spend the entire day doing preliminary sketches of the plant and taking notes. Along with photographs that I took, I had all the necessary information to complete the illustration in Denver.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Blue Latan Palm, Watercolor by Monika DeVries Gohlke, US

Latania loddegesii


Listing: Endangered, IUCN Redlist

The Plant’s Story

The Republic of Mauritius consists of two major islands, Mauritius and Rodrigues, as well as a number of smaller islets, surrounded by coral reefs. The Blue Latan Palm as well as other plants unique to these islands have been yielding their habitat to agriculture and development, and have also been affected by grazing goats and rabbits. Although it is very rare in its native environment, this palm tree is cultivated as an ornamental tree in gardens. The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation works to conserve rare plants and animals and maintains an endangered plant propagation program.

The Artist’s Story: Monika DeVries Gohlke

This beautiful “latanier bleu” as it is called in Mauritius, is currently being cultivated as an ornamental in some of the gardens on the island. It was in one of these private gardens that I was privileged to observe the tree and paint the maturing fruit.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Moss, Watercolor by Maria Alice De Rezende, Brazil

Itatiella ulei

Listing: Critically Endangered, List of Endangered Flora of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The Plant’s Story

Mosses are notoriously difficult to identify due to their small size and remarkable diversity. Tropical Atlantic rainforests of Brazil are havens that nurture a richness of mosses. Atlantic rainforests cover just a small portion of the area of Amazonian rainforest, but their biodiversity is just as great. In addition to moss diversity, the entire flora of the region is rich, with over half of its tree species found nowhere else. New York Botanical Garden researchers counted over 450 species of trees in less than 3 acres!

The Artist’s Story: Maria Alice De Rezende

The idea of making a watercolor painting of this endangered moss arose when I was working with the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden illustrating “Endemic and Threatened Species from Itatiaia National Park”. These mosses are so small it is difficult for people to see what they look like. We decided a painting of an enlarged plant would allow people to be able to see how beautiful they can be, and maybe provide an increased understanding of the importance of preserving them in nature.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Iris, Watercolor by John Pastoriza-Pinol, Australia

Iris winogradowii

Listing: Red Data Book, Republic of Georgia

The Plant’s Story

The Republic of Georgia is one of six nations considered part of the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, which encompasses the isthmus between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea and nearby areas. The former Soviet Union was largely isolated from the rest of the world for many years, and this isolation was also botanical. Although people around the world can now visit its alpine meadows and high mountain oak forests, development pressures have accelerated, with natural resource extraction proceeding at a rapid pace. Political and economic upheaval have contributed to this acceleration, and poaching of wildlife, fuel wood, timber, and plants have increased significantly. Infrastructure development, such as roads, dams and pipelines have fragmented and degraded habitats. In the wild this iris is found in the area of Mt. Lomtismta, now a reserve, and it was once found in Abkhazia as well. Iris winogradowii has a number of unique features for an iris; it has a bulb rather than a rhizome, its leaves are triangular in cross-section, and it dies back completely by mid-summer. The Karamov Botanical Institute published a massive 30-volume Flora of the USSR during the mid twentieth century.

The Artist’s Story: John Pastoriza-Pinol

The purpose of my art is to capture the unique features of plants and to engender appreciation for contemporary botanical art and accurate realism. My academic background as a botanist influences the plants I choose, as well as my compositions and painting style, and I enjoy searching out rare and unusual plants.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Negev Iris, Watercolor by Irene Blecher, Israel

Iris mariae

Listing: Endangered, Red Data Book, Israel

The Plant’s Story

Irises of the section Oncocyclus grow throughout the Middle East and are distinguished by conspicuously large, mostly dark flowers on separate stems. Ten species of this section have been recorded in Israel and adjacent countries. All are found in a very small range. These flowers are a focal point for nature lovers during the flowering season and are a symbol for nature conservation in Israel and Jordan. All eight Israeli species of Oncocyclus irises are endangered plants. Negev iris is one of the most threatened species of this group. This beautiful plant has suffered in recent decades mainly from disturbance of its habitat by new construction, intensive agriculture and grazing. Research is currently being conducted by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority in collaboration with the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The project includes rescuing rhizomes of some endangered iris species from threatened habitats, propagation in captivity, and relocation for the creation of new populations in protected areas.

The Artist’s Story: Irene Blecher

In the last two years I prepared illustrations of a few rare Irises. Employed as a researcher by the Dead Sea Institute, I am participating in several conservation projects. My time is divided between botanical painting and doing ecological research.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Marsh Gentian, Watercolor by Gillian Barlow, UK

Gentiana pneumonanthe


Listing: Protected Status, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

The Plant’s Story

Marsh gentian is being studied all over northern Europe, mainly because of its fascinating relationship with the rare Alcon blue butterfly. Adult Alcon blues lay their eggs on the outside of marsh gentian flowers, and when the larvae hatch, they emerge inside, where they begin to feed on the flower. After molting 3 times, these caterpillars chew through to the outside of the flower, then lower themselves to the ground on a “silken thread”. The caterpillar awaits the arrival of a Myrmica ant, which adopts it and carries it back to the ant’s nest. There it is fed by the ant colony through the fall and winter, growing quite large. In spring it forms a chrysalis, then emerges and exits the colony as quickly as it can to avoid being killed by the ants. Encroaching tree cover is one of the reasons for the marsh gentian’s shrinking range. Their largest threat however, is the modernization of agricultural practices.

The Artist’s Story: Gillian Barlow

Since we both live nearby, I became close friends with a botanical artist and a volunteer warden of Tadnoll Heath, which is close to Winfrith Heath. This area, though small is very richly varied and contains a multitude of plants. In late summer the brilliant blue flowers look spectacular with the orange yellow of bog asphodel and the crimson haired sundews that thrive in the same damp conditions, all together making a glorious mosaic of colors. I spent many happy hours walking on the heath, hunting for plants.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Heath, Watercolor by Jennifer Johnston Davidson, South Africa

Erica verticillata

Listing: Extinct in the Wild, National Red List of South African Plants

The Plant’s Story

Erica verticillata can be seen as representing one of the worst “paradise lost” scenarios – the extinction of a species and severe loss of its natural habitat. But it is also a story of great hope, where a species extinct in the wild is saved by a few plants preserved in botanical garden collections. It is now being reintroduced into small isolated remnants of its natural habitat, where it is producing viable seed. Erica verticillata is being saved by collaboration between dedicated horticulturists, botanists, conservationists, volunteers, civic and corporate entities in Cape Town and supported by colleagues in South Africa and round the world. However, its habitat continues to be threatened and its future, and that of other Acid Sand Plain Fynbos plants is still tenuous.

The Artist’s Story: Jennifer Johnston Davidson

I was speaking to a horticulturist at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden when she suggested I paint Erica verticillata. The next thing I knew, thanks to Anthony Hitchcock Nursery, Plant Collections and Cape Millennium Seed Bank Manager, I had a permit in my hand and a couple of horticulturists were taking me around Kirstenbosch Gardens collecting the different forms of Erica verticillata. I had read Anthony’s article in Veld & Flora, the Botanical Society of South Africa Magazine, “Restoration Conservation at Kirstenbosch” earlier and found the whole story quite amazing. I was committed from the start even though I quivered at the prospect of recording all those little leaves! Because of the help I received, I had the luxury of working from live plant materials, depicting five of the different forms discovered and those used in the breeding program.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Golden Barrel Cactus, Oil on Paper by Ingrid Finnan, US

Echinocactus grusonii

Listing: Critically Endangered, IUCN Red List

The Plant’s Story

Mexico is “diversity central” for cacti, a family native only to the Americas. Over 650 species of the world’s 1500 cacti make their home in Mexico. Golden barrel cactus is one of the many cacti found in only a very small area, in this case one of about 15 square miles. Growing on volcanic slopes at about 3500’ in elevation, it is estimated only 250 golden barrels remain in the wild. Its range was reduced in the early 1990s by construction of a dam flooding the Mactezuma Valley. El Charco del Ingenio Botanical Garden, Guanajuato, Mexico engaged in a rushed rescue effort to save the golden barrels and other rarer plants from the valley, incorporating them into their conservation-focused collection. Although development and grazing are the greatest threats to endangered cacti, there still remains a thriving market among cactophiles for illegally collected plants, which affects the already reduced populations.

The Artist’s Story: Ingrid Finnan

Over the years I have made numerous visits to the Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden, where the perfectly round form of the Golden Barrel Cactus has fascinated me. But how to make a round cactus suitably fit the rectangular format was the question. My solution was to flank the primary cactus with two others painted in more subtle manner, hoping to suggest that the species is vanishing. I begin by sketching a plant that has caught my imagination. On my sketch I make detailed notes of the dimensions and the colors of the plant and take numerous photos with a composition in mind. In my studio, I prepare a detailed drawing and transfer it to a sheet of watercolor paper. I quickly paint the whole image in thinned oils, laying in the lights and darks and capturing the colors as closely as possible. Then comes the time consuming process of refining the work, blending colors, adding textural effects, and fine details.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Bowl Flower, Watercolor by Jee-Yeon Koo, South Korea

Cypripedium japonicum

Listing: CITES Appendix II

The Plant’s Story

Cypripedium japonicum is known in Korea as Kwangreung Yogang Flower, so named because the shape of the flower resembles a bowl. It has always been rare in cultivation outside of Asia. On the brink of extinction in Korea, only about 200 individuals remain in the wild. The Korean government is actively seeking to safeguard Cypripedium japonicum and several mountains and villages have been designated as protected habitats. Numbers of this orchid in China and Japan are greater, but they are all protected by CITES Appendix II. China is the center for Cypripedium diversity, being home to two-thirds of the world’s Cypripedium species, with a further centralization in Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, areas experiencing rapid habitat change.

The Artist’s Story: Jee-Yeon Koo

I’ve been a fine artist and teacher in Korea for many years, specializing in flowers in the eastern style of painting, using traditional materials and techniques. As principal art director for the national project for illustrating rare and endangered Korean plants sponsored by the Korea National Arboretum, I have painted many rare Korean plants. I was interested in Cypripedium japonicum because it is the most important endangered plant in Korea. My technique consists of many layers of dry brush watercolors.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Longolongo, Gouache by Rita Parkinson, Australia

Cycas seemannii

Listing: CITES Appendix II

The Plant’s Story

Cycads are found throughout tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world and can thrive in harsh conditions, from high elevations, windy and cold paramo in South America to beach dunes and island limestone terraces, as with this Cyas seemanni, in the South Pacific islands. Of the 300 or so species found around the world, about half are considered at risk. In North America, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Florida, maintains a large collection of cycads for research, exhibition, and conservation, linked with conservationists and institutions around the world.

The Artist’s Story: Rita Parkinson

Fiji has been a holiday destination for my family for more than 20 years. I saw the Cycas seemannii of my illustration in a coastal area near Sigatoka on Viti Levu Island. The flora is diverse and what interests me is that much of it has not been illustrated in detail before. I will first and foremost do detailed drawings, and make a photo essay that includes habitat, close ups, details and mid-views. Then, I will begin the process with many roughs using all these sources as reference.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Begonia, Watercolor by Lizzie Sanders, UK

Begonia samhaensis

Listing: Endangered, IUCN Red List

The Plant’s Story

The isolated archipelago of Socotra lies in the Indian Ocean about 200 miles southeast of mainland Yemen. There are four islands in the group, Socotra, by far the largest, Abd al Kuri, Samha, and Darsa, surrounded by coral reefs profuse in marine diversity. Its tropical flora is one of the richest and best preserved in the world, with over 850 flowering plant species, of which some 300 are found nowhere else. At low altitudes its strange, otherworldly landscape is dominated by stem succulents along with dense woodlands. At higher altitudes, micro-niches among its jagged peaks support species such as Begonia, thriving in crevices, sustained by moisture from monsoon mists. In 2008 the archipelago was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and about 75% of its lands are in national parks and sanctuaries under protection of the Yemeni Conservation and Development Authority. Begonia samhaensis is found only in the northwest part of Samha’s high plateau, on sheltered vertical limestone cliffs above 2,000’ in elevation. Known from only 3 locations, its total population is estimated at fewer than 1000 plants.

The Artist’s Story: Lizzie Sanders

I first became interested in plants from Socotra some 10 years ago. I was taking classes at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh and as a result met Dr. Tony Miller and his assistant Mark Hughes, who at that time were involved in a conservation program for the sustainable development of Socotra. The Paintings I made at that time included Begonia socotrana and the newly described Begonia samhaensis. My painting, the first ever of this plant, is now in the RBGE collection. Fast forward to 2008 and Losing Paradise? I had first thought of painting an endangered Scottish plant, but these proved elusive and generally inaccessible. Talking to botanists at RBGE, where I am now teaching, the flora of Socotra was suggested. Begonia samhaensis is one of RBGE’s ‘star’ introductions and together with the other flora of Socotra is under considerable threat.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.

Atamasco Lily, Gouache & Colored Pencil by Julie Martinez, US

Zephyranthes atamasca

Listings: Endangered, Maryland; Threatened, Florida

The Plant’s Story

Atamasco lily was one of the first North American flowers encountered by the colonists of Jamestown. At the edges of its historic range, it is at risk, although in some states it is quite common. Atamasco lilies enjoy a habitat of moisture-prone regions bordering wetlands, the edges of flat forestlands, and moist meadows. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Bulbs in the amaryllis family, as this lily was originally described by Linnaeus in 1753, contain chemical compounds being studied for their promising anti-cancer properties.

The Artist’s Story: Julie Martinez

During the winter, my husband and I live in the midst of the Ocala National Forest in central Florida. One morning I noticed occasional clumps of delicate white flowers along the roadside. After identifying them in our guidebooks, I learned they were a threatened species in Florida. I wanted to capture them in a painting and immediately started working on not only painting the flower but all aspects of the plant including the bulb, bud, pollen, seedpod and seeds.

More of the plant’s story and the artist’s story can be found in the exhibit catalog, available at the exhibition venues or online from the ASBA.