What are we doing here II?

Well, one of the fun things we've been doing is dropping over cliffs looking for rare plants. Honestly, it is fun, and OF COURSE we're attached to a rope (3 in fact). Most of the remaining endemic St Helena plants are pretty rare and on this occasion we decided to check out something called the large bellflower (Wahlenbergia linifolia to its friends, and taxonomists). This one hadn't been visited for a few years, so no-one knew if it was extinct (the last visible plant had disappeared). Well, the good news it is not extinct - but it's pretty damn close with only 12 plants counted. We collected a small amount of seed and one small plant that had fallen off the cliff to try and establish it in cultivation. One feels that it is touch and go for this cute little plant.

Mike abseiling the last known site of large bellflower, at High Peak. One rope for abseiling (green), one for safety (orange) and one for lowering sharp cutting implements such as machetes (blue) - I tried not to get them confused. Note the flour sacks tied to the green rope to protect it from sharp rocks

The confusing view looking down the climb

The cutey in question. The seed capsule from the tip of the branch of one of the 12 last large bellflower in existence

 Of the 12 plants found, only 3 were adults. Fingers crossed

Now for the next abseils: bastard gumwood at Botleys (last wild tree) and ebony at Blue Point (last five wild trees)