Botanical Exploration and Conservation in Pasir Banteng and Pasir Pogor, Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park

Abstract

Cibodas Botanic Gardens (CBG) shall keep performing botanical exploration and ex situ conservation as part of the effort to rescue tropical montane rainforest plants, which tend to decrease in their natural habitat. Pasir Banteng and Pasir Pogor, Mount Gede Pangrango, were selected due to the potential threat and limited information on plants collected from these sites. The objectives of this study were to collect valuable plants, which have a conservation value and explore their potential usefulness. The study has begun by establishing a list of collectible plants. Then, the field activities were conducted by a plant collection explorative method along the hiking route, from 750 to 1,500 m asl, low-mid mountain as height as CBG, with no specific sampling point (found and collected). These plants have field treatment, were delivered to CBG, and would later be maintained in the garden. The study has obtained 31 species collected from Pasir Banteng and 20 species from Pasir Pogor. There were 35 families, with Orchidaceae being the most collectible. Some crucial findings were nine species included as least concern (LC) and a species as endangered (EN), based on their conservation status. At least six new species were identified as the garden enrichment of the CBG. In addition, at least fifteen species have potential utilization as construction materials, 29 species as ornamental plants, twelve species as medicinal plants, and some plants possessing multi-utilization. The results were significant in adding the collection's richness and enhancing the conservation value of the plants conserved by CBG. It was also contributed to describing the plant species information of these sites.

Keywords: botanical exploration, ex-situ, Pasir Banteng, Pasir Pogor, plant conservation