The members of GCCC, Dr Fang Wen and Research Assistant Ms. Shu Li visited Shanghai Botanical Garden (SHBG). The Engineer, Mr. Jia-Qi Qin, who is mainly responsible for introduction/cultivation/show of Gesneriads in SHBG, accompanied with Wen & Li. Both sides discussed the exchange/introduction/cultivation techniques of Gesneriads, and exchanged the ideas about the preparatory works for Gesneriads flowers show.
Both sides agreed that the reasonable exchanges and effective conservation of Gesneriads germplasm in different botanical gardens are very important. GCCC, Guilin Botanical Garden and Shanghai Botanical Garden will/should carry out consistently the cooperation in this field.
Dr. Wen corrected some misidentified groups and species which were introduced from China and America by SHBG. At the same time, the members of GCCC praised highly the excellent level of the cultivation and the management of Saintpaulia and Streptocarpus in SHBG by Mr. Qin’s guidance. Wen and Li also modestly learnt many techniques for Gesneriads from Qin and SHBG. GCCC introduced total 78 numbers of different species and ornamental varieties from Aeschynanthus, Columnea, Saintpaulia, Streptocarpus and Kohleria, and so on.
Figure 1 A little corner of cultivation areas of Saintpaulia in SHBG
Figure 2 The exchanged materials (leaves, stems, rhizomes and pots of different genera) and Dr Wen & Mr. Qin
Figure 3 Dr. Wen and Mr. Qin are checking the species, and the frontal is a corner of Streptocarpusareas
Figure 4 The excellent Streptocarpus ornamental varieties from Shanghai Botanical Garden
