Mandrinette
Encyclopedia
The Mandrinette is an extremely rare endemic shrub
only known from steep slopes of the mountains Corps de Garde
and Le Morne Brabant
on Mauritius
and from two further plants on Rodrigues
. The Mandrinette is an evergreen
plant with flower
s 7-10 cm diameter with five bright pink to carmine red petals.
The Mandrinette looks rather similar to the Chinese Hibiscus
(Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and the introduction of that to Mauritius as a garden plant is one of the main reasons for the dramatic decline of the Mandrinette. Only 46 mature individuals exist in the wild but they are not able to reproduce due to competition from and hybridisation with this invasive
Hibiscus species.
They are currently 200 plants in nurseries, and especially the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
is trying to reproduce the seedlings with the help of Ex-situ conservation
to reintroduce this species into the wild after efforts to remove the invasive hibiscus were successful.
In 1964 Andy Warhol
made prints of the Mandrinette with petals in different colours based on a photograph by the nature photographer Patricia Caulfield, published in 1960 in the magazine Modern Photography.
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
only known from steep slopes of the mountains Corps de Garde
Corps de Garde
Corps de Garde is a 720 metre-high mountain of volcanic origin, in the area of the Moka Range between the Mountain Du Rempart and the Le Pouce Mountain in the Plaines Wilhems district of Mauritius. This basaltic rock has an imposing appearance which is characterized by an abruptly breakup and is...
and Le Morne Brabant
Le Morne Brabant
Le Morne Brabant is a peninsula at the extreme south-western tip of Mauritius and the most windward side of the island. It is highlighted by an eponymous single standing basaltic rock with a summit of 556 metres above sea level, the most imposing sight on Mauritius. The summit covers an area of...
on Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
and from two further plants on Rodrigues
Rodrigues (island)
Rodrigues , sometimes spelled Rodriguez but named after the Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues, is the smallest of the Mascarene Islands and a dependency of Mauritius...
. The Mandrinette is an evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
plant with flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s 7-10 cm diameter with five bright pink to carmine red petals.
The Mandrinette looks rather similar to the Chinese Hibiscus
Chinese hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, known colloquially as the Chinese hibiscus, China rose and shoe flower, is an evergreen flowering shrub native to East Asia....
(Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and the introduction of that to Mauritius as a garden plant is one of the main reasons for the dramatic decline of the Mandrinette. Only 46 mature individuals exist in the wild but they are not able to reproduce due to competition from and hybridisation with this invasive
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
Hibiscus species.
They are currently 200 plants in nurseries, and especially the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
is trying to reproduce the seedlings with the help of Ex-situ conservation
Ex-situ conservation
Ex-situ conservation means literally, "off-site conservation". It is the process of protecting an endangered species of plant or animal outside of its natural habitat; for example, by removing part of the population from a threatened habitat and placing it in a new location, which may be a wild...
to reintroduce this species into the wild after efforts to remove the invasive hibiscus were successful.
In 1964 Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
made prints of the Mandrinette with petals in different colours based on a photograph by the nature photographer Patricia Caulfield, published in 1960 in the magazine Modern Photography.