Dr. Wen Fang attended the International Conference on Tropical Plant Conservation and Utilization and visited Bogor Botanic Garden (Abbr. BBG) in Bogor City, Indonesia upon the invitation from Dr. Didik Widyatmo, who is the director of BBG. About 110 researchers and attendees from more than ten countries and regions, for example, Indonesia, China, Taiwan of China, Japan, U.S.A., U.K., Australia, Netherlands, Canada, and so on, respectively participated various activities and reports in this international conference. Prof. Huang Shi-Xun and Dr. Wen Fang from Guilin Botanic Garden and Gesneriad Conservation Center of China (Abbr.: GCCC) were invited to make a special invited lecture, entitled “The Important Roles of Guilin Botanical Garden in Conservation and Domestication of Wild Plants” (Fig. 1). Dr. Wen Fang, on behalf of Guilin Botanical Garden, highlighted the efforts of GCCC for conservation of Chinese Gesneriaceae since the establishment of GCCC (Fig. 2). After Dr. Wen Fang’s lecture, Prof. Huang Shi-Xun, the Director of Guilin Botanical Garden, presented a monograph, “Gesneriaceae of South China”, to the chairman of this conference and the Director of Bogor Botanic Garden, Dr. Didik Widyatmok (Fig. 3).

Fig. 1 The first page of special invited lecture, prepared by Prof. Huang Shix-Xun and Dr. Wen Fang

Fig. 2 The scene of the lecture

Fig. 3 Prof. Huang Shi-Xun presented the gift, the book (“Gesneriaceae of South China”), to the Director of Bogor Botanic Garden, Dr. Didik Widyatmok

In Dr. Wen Fang’s lecture, he introduced in more detail about the aims of GCCC (for example, To protect and conserve the Chinese native Gesneriaceae plants; To avoid going extinct the population of Gesneriaceae in the field; To build a platform to integrate Chinese botanical garden, focus on Gesneriaceae from different regions (for example, provinces or regions); To make the Science popularization education of Gesneriaceae, and so on). He also introduced about three newly established branches of GCCC, namely GCCC (Guizhou) located in Guizhou Botanical Garden of Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, GCCC (Eastern China) located in Anhui University of Hefei City, Anhui Province and GCCC (Shenzhen) located in Fairylake Botanical Garden of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province; taking Petrocodon integrifolius(D.Fang & L.Zeng) A.Weber & Mich.Möller and Primulina subulata (W.T. Wang) Mich. Möller & A. Weber as examples, he introduced the rescue and protection efforts we are executing to endangered Gesneriaceae species; he also introduced the newest program, which is to use natural Karst limestone cave to conserve and display some cave-dwelling Gesneriaceae plants; Those scientific education to public about the conservation efforts we did were showed in detail; That relying on Guilin Botanical Garden, many infrastructure for Gesneriaceae, for example, Gesneriaceae display area (Simulated natural limestone habitats), Wall garden, Rocks garden, and so on (Fig. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9）。

Fig. 4 GCCC in the lecture by Dr. Wen Fang (I): The opening ceremony of GCCC in Guilin Botanical Garden

Fig. 5 GCCC in the lecture by Dr. Wen Fang (II): How to save and make ex-situ for the critically endangered species, Petrocodon integrifolius (D.Fang & L.Zeng) A.Weber & Mich.Möller

Fig. 6 GCCC in the lecture by Dr. Wen Fang (II): How to save and make ex-situ for the critically endangered species, Primulina subulata (W.T. Wang) Mich. Möller & A. Weber

Fig. 7 GCCC in the lecture by Dr. Wen Fang (III): Three branches, GCCC (Guizhou), GCCC (Eastern China) and GCCC (Shenzhen) were launched in the last month (April, 2017) and this month (May, 2017)

Fig. 8 GCCC in the lecture by Dr. Wen Fang (IV): The Gesneriaceae display area (Simulated natural limestone habitats), Wall garden, Rocks garden, and so on.

Fig. 9 GCCC in the lecture by Dr. Wen Fang (V): The specialized limestone cave of GCCC for cave-dwelling Gesneriaceae (in preparing)

        The researchers, experts and attendees showed great interest in GCCC, and were very glad to talk and discuss with Prof. Huang Shi-Xun and Dr. Wen Fang, and had put forward many constructive ideas and proposals that further enriched GCCC. Lastly, Dr. Wen Fang successfully completed his talking and sincerely invited researchers and experts to visit Guilin Botanical Garden and GCCC, and to seek new ideas for GCCC.