CONTRIBUTION TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE M ALE GENETIC PATRIMONY OF THE LIVING PLANT COLLECTION AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM-OF-NATURAL-HISTORY, PARIS

The collections of live plants at the National Museum of Natural Histo ry in Paris (Australian and Tropical Green Houses, Alpine Garden, Chev reloup's Arboretum and Menton's Exotic Garden) include many ornamental and also many medicinal and aromatic plants which are threatened or o nly represented by a few individuals. Firstly, a palynological invento ry of more than 250 species allowed an evaluation of the male gametoph yte (pollen) biodiversity of these collections. The study is illustrat ed by observations using scanning electron microscopy. These are sixte en of Dicotyledons and eight Monocotyledons selected according to the systematic and conservation status of the plant and the originality or representativity of their pollen type and structure: Dicotyledons: Pe umus, Harrisia, Fenestraria, Sparmannia, Bauhinia, Banksia, Sarcocaulo n, Reinwardtia, Mina, Jaborosa, Whitfieldia, Thumbergia, Martynia, Ses amothamnus, Felicia. Monocotyledons: Cyperus, Billbergia, Spathiphyllu m, Furcraea, Crinum, Iris, Aloe, Lapageria. Original and remarkable st ructures were observed which deserve more detailed studies in Peumus b oldus, Sarcocaulon vanderietiae, and Reinwardtia trigyna, in the Dicot yledons, and in Spathiphyllum floribundum and Furcraea selloa in the M onocotyledons. Secondly a pollen bank was created in 1983 at the Palyn ologivcal Laboratory, using a particular technic of freeze-drying deve loped there. Some 'models', sorted out from the above mentioned collec tions, have been included in the bank in order to contribute: to the m anagement of the genetic patrimony of these living collections to thei r conservations as wild plants. Eight Dicotyledons and four Monocotyle dons were tested with respect to preservation and storage schedule at various temperatures: Dicotyledons: Helxine, Sparmannia, Raphiolepis, Aeonium, Callistemon, Jasminum, Petunia, Viburnum. Monocotyledons: Cli via, Lapageria, Crinum, Iris. These latter studies stress that, once t he germination medium is well defined, pollen preserved by freeze-dryi ng and stored at -80 degrees C seem the best protected for long surviv al.