Isoetes malinverniana is a Critically Endangered quillwort endemic to the north west of Italy, where it occurs in less than ten small populations. Efforts to protect this species in the wild are being put in place, but its natural range overlaps one of the most productive agricultural areas of Europe. This makes efforts to remove threats like water eutrophication and water course management difficult. The ex situ conservation of the species is therefore essential for keeping this treasure alive.

Over the past ten years, two Italian institutions have created two ex situ populations which together account for more than half of the total number of individuals of I. malinverniana. For various reasons, both ex situ collections have recently experienced a significant loss of individuals and are at further risk of being lost.

Ex situ cultivation of the species is crucial to its survival, and establishing a reproduction program to increase the number of individuals globally will contribute towards this.
If your institution has Isoetes malinverniana in cultivation, please contact Thomas Abeli at thomas.abeli@uniroma3.it for expertise on the species’ reproductive biology and cultivation protocols.