Chardon du Fouta (Vernonia djalonensis)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 182519101

Conserving Guinea’s Critically Endangered National Flower Vernonia djalonensis.

The project aims to 1. Put in place viable protection for this species through formal protection of part of the only known site at Dalaba. 2. Raise awareness of Vernonia djalonensis and other threatened species with local communities 3. Engage with young people (Schools, youth groups) for the long term conservation of the species, 4. Promote Vernonia djalonensis as the National Flower of Guinea, 5. Develop propagation and translocation protocols for in situ and ex situ propagation of V. djalonensis. 6. Conduct more extensive field surveys in the hope of discovering new subpopulations. 7. Bank 10,000 seeds at HNG and Kew MSB for posterity, viability testing and propagation trials.