First Report on Successful Growing of Trichopus zeylanicus Outside Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve

Trichopus zeylanicus is an extremely narrow endemic and endangered species thrives in Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, South Western Ghats, India. Restricted distribution coupled with specific habitat requirements, low colonization ability, overexploitation and habitat destruction are among the major cause of decline in its natural population. Thus required immediate in-situ and ex-situ conservation. This is the first successful attempts to acclimatize this species for ex-situ conservation in South Gujarat, India. 20 healthy seedlings at 4–6 leave stage were transplanted under agro-shade net house (75%) conditions. After 6 months of inactive phase, they start blossoming and after one year, they start bearing flowers. Peak flowering was observed during April–July which was nearly opposite to the pattern of its flowering in natural habitat. Initially, the transformation of flowers to mature capsule was very low and restricted to winter months only, however, from third season onwards, the transformation of flowers into mature capsule was observed more indicating comfortable acclimatization of the plant in this regions.