Pennantia baylisiana

[CβL]

Pennantia baylisiana is a species of plant in the Pennantiaceae family (Icacinaceae in older classifications). It is endemic to the Three Kings Islands, New Zealand, where only one plant is known to exist. It is threatened by habitat loss.[1] Pennantia baylisiana was listed as one of the world's rarest plants by The Guinness Book of Records. The single tree known in the wild grows on a scree slope on the northern face of Great Island in the Three Kings group off Cape Reinga, New Zealand. It was discovered in 1945 by Professor Geoff Baylis of the University of Otago.

More information: http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/News-Events/News-Archive/2010-News-archive/NZ-s-rarest-tree-back-from-the-brink

So I found one of these growing (unlabeled and I still recognized it), and I can get a cutting. What would be a good method to try and get that cutting to strike?

Edited May 28, 2011 by βluntmuffin

[WoodDragon]

1) Layering would be a better option than cutting.

2) If it's a male Pennantia baylisiana, the scientific community really needs to know about it - consider telling them rather than holding on to it youself.

[CβL]

It'll just be directly grown from that plant found on Three Kings Island - not new genetic material I'd imagine, as it's not in a wild situation.

I'll research layering, I hadn't even considered that. But it would have to be air-layering I'd imagine, the branches appear quite brittle.

Thanks for your reply, and looking forward to other replies.

[planthelper]

air layering has some disadvantages, every body who see's the plant can see what you are doing, and airlayering is not as easy the first time around.

let's guess it's an easy cutting.

once you choose your 3 or 4 node cutting, store it right away in a sealed take away container wich contais some water.

than at home try the pet bottle mini glashouse probagation methode.

i would wait for spring to arrive.

if the air layering is not done proper it will fail (let's say your sphagnum moss dries out tooo much, and you can't check on the moisture, but at home you have total controll over the humidety).

if a plant is difficult to strike than we use air layering, but i guess that is an easy cutting.

more important is that you are aware of which wood strikes the best with this plant, too soft fresh wood might rot, too old might never form roots, so find out which wood type makes the best cuttings.

it has very big leaves, one would have to remove 80% of them, but don't prune the young leaves emerging.

good luck, and what an amazing find!