Dr. Angelica Cibrian Jaramillo, postdoctoral associate at the New York Botanical Garden, is studying Montgomery Botanical Center’s (MBC) Cycas micronesica collection as part of her population genetics research.

Cycas micronesica—indigenous to Guam, Rota, Yap, and Palau—is in steep decline on Guam and Rota due to Aulocapsis yasumatsui scale. In 2006, C. micronesica was reassessed as Endangered on the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) Red List. Montgomery Botanical Center recently received seeds of the cycad from Guam and Rota and is playing a critical role in the conservation of the species.

 While at MBC, Dr. Cibrian Jaramillo presented a public seminar: Conservation Genomics of the Recently Endangered Cycas micronesica. Dr. Cibrian Jaramillo acknowledged the conservation value of MBC’s collections. Montgomery Botanical Center will be collaborating with Dr. Cibrian Jaramillo on future projects vital to the conservation of the endangered Cycas micronesica.