Ex-situ conservation effort in Shanghai sees progress as preserved wild plant seeds surpass 100 mln

Ge Binjie, curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, works in the seed cold storage facility of the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Recently, staff confirmed that the total number of viable seeds preserved at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden has surpassed 100 million. This milestone marks significant progress in the ex-situ conservation of wild plant germplasm resources in east China.

The center has been systematically collecting and storing seeds since September of 2017. The collection includes over 100 million seeds gathered from 100 counties across 45 cities in 17 provinces nationwide. All seeds are derived from wild plants, representing 1,950 species in 785 genera and 159 families, including 323 endemic species and 68 rare or endangered plants. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Ge Binjie, curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, displays a seed of Lodoicea maldivica -- the world's largest plant seed, at the herbarium in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Ge Binjie, curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, enters the seed cold storage facility of the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

A staff member binds plant specimens at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

This photo shows a blue seed of Ravenala madagascariensis at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Ge Binjie, curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, introduces gymnosperm diversity at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Ge Binjie, curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, works at the herbarium in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

This photo shows a seed of Dasylirion longissimum on the seed specimen wall at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Ge Binjie, curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, inspects the drying status of seeds in a laboratory of the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Ge Binjie, curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, observes a specimen at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Ge Binjie, curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, arranges newly-collected specimens at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Ge Binjie, curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, introduces species of Sphaeropteris lepifera at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

This photo shows a handicraft made by seeds on the seed specimen wall at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

This photo shows the seed specimen wall at the National Wild Plant Germplasm Resource Center for Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Ge Binjie (R), curator of the Shanghai Chenshan Herbarium, introduces knowledge of seeds to a foreign artist at the herbarium in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)