Plant hunters' legacy help Japan's threatened species

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15019834

The British tradition of collecting plants from all four corners of the world means the UK is now home to many Japanese species which are under threat in their native land, a study reports.

Botanic Gardens Conservation International found more than 350 such species in UK gardens and collections.

They also counted 106 vascular plant species in UK collections that were not present in Japanese ones.

They hope the findings will help protect potentially vital specimens.

The report found two species - a shrub, Flemingia strobilifera, and a fern, Hypolepis tenuifloa - growing in the UK despite being deemed locally extinct in their Japanese homeland.