Plants have been provided for the ex situ collection at Bok Tower Garden and for an outplanting in Florida.

Tissue culture lines and cryopreserved shoot tips are maintained at CREW (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden).

Tissue culture lines and cryopreserved shoot tips are maintained at CREW (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden).

As seeds are not abundant and may not be adaptable to conventional seed banking conditions, the genetic representation in ex situ collections of cryopreserved shoot tips should be increased.

Tissue culture lines and cryopreserved shoot tips are maintained at CREW (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden).

Tissue culture propagation and shoot tip cryopreservation protocols have been developed for this species (Clark and Pence, 2001; Charls et al., 2003; Plair and Pence, 2003).  Plants have been provided for the ex situ collection at Bok Tower Garden and for an outplanting in Florida.

Known from Martin and northern Palm Beach counties, Florida, with about 20 occurrences, few of which are protected. The available habitat for this species is rapidly declining due to residential development along the southeastern Florida coast. This species is usually shaded out by evergreen oaks and sand pines when the community is fire suppressed.

Habitat destruction Habitat fragmentation and small habitat size Improper management practices, for example, using mechanical methods instead of burning Fire suppression Prescribed fire in the dormant season (September to February) Genetic vari

Ten of 17 (59%) sites are protected. Only two of six (33%) sites in Martin County are in state ownership, managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. In Palm Beach County, eight of the 11 (72%) sites are protected: six sites are owned and managed by County Departments, one is privately protected by Florida Power and Light Co., and one is owned by the U.S. Coast Guard. Approximately 950 plants and 400 seedlings, naturally occurring and planted, are known to exist on the 17 sites (FNAI 2001, Cox Personal Communication). In 1988, Florida Natural Areas Inventory conducted an extensive survey, locating 792 individuals on 16 sites (Johnson 1989). These numbers are the result of systematic inventories conducted since the first surveys in 1978. In 1978, only 110 plants were recorded from two sites in Martin County, and populations in Palm Beach County were thought to be extirpated (Austin and Tatje 1979, Austin et al. 1980). Currently, 89% (281/315) of the plants in Martin County survive in the two protected sites and the remaining plants (79) in private ownership are in decline. Similarly, 87% (547/636) of the plants in Palm Beach County are intact and the remainder are disappearing because of development (Cox, Personal Communication).

A demographic study is being conducted on 157 plants at Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Cox in progress 2002). A pilot study examines cross pollination, seed germination, and seedling establishment to increase the population size at Hawks Bluff in Martin County (Cox and Shropshire in progress 2001). Factors affecting micropropagation of Asimina tetramera, an endangered Florida Scrub species, is in progress at The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH (Pence in progress 2002). A phylogenetic study has been proposed at the University of Florida (in progress 2002) Asimina tetramera planted in 1988 are being monitored for flowering, fruit set, and seedling establishment at Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, FL. Studies include seed germination, viability and nursery propagation techniques.

The Jonathan Dickinson State Park population burned in 1996 & is monitored every six years. Palm Beach County sites are monitored at one to two year intervals and after prescribed fire. Several sites have been burned.

Determine the genetic variability among and within populations Increase populations on public and conservation lands through cross pollination experiments with nearby genetically diverse populations. Conduct demographic studies to determine population stability, increase, and decline. Establish demographic monitoring protocol as a management tool. Population monitoring guidelines, relative to various habitat management practices for sand pine scrub habitat and Asimina tetramera, have not been established and are not available to land managers. This should be a priority for recovery of this species. Conduct population viability and risk assessment analyses to determine number of plants, sites, populations and spatial distribution (USFWS 1999). Augment existing populations with seeds from existing plants or through cross pollination with nearby populations. Determine habitat management requirements for declining populations and develop management guidelines.

Collect seeds from each population in the wild and bring into cultivation at Bok Tower Garden for reintroduction in the event of native population destruction. Collect seeds periodically from native populations to establish populations for study and as seed sources for reintroductions.