Molecular biology and pollination as a tool to enhance the long-
term viability of the Sunshine Diuris orchid, Diuris
fragrantissima. A project undertaken at the Zoological Parks &
Gardens Board, Melbourne, Victoria, and supervised by P Temple-
Smith Now critically endangered, the Sunshine Diuris, an endemic
to Victoria, was once abundant on the grassy plains west of
Melbourne (Fig.1). The virtual wild extinction of this species
(only one plant remains in the wild), has been caused by habitat
destruction and degradation (Fig.2). The remaining population
faces threats from weed invasion, predation by introduced
herbivores, lack of or wrongly timed fire and illegal collection
(Fig.3). A key objective identified in the revised Recovery Plan
was the establishment of several self-sustaining populations of
this orchid in the wild. The ex situ population of Sunshine
Diuris at Melbourne Zoo and the Royal Melbourne Botanic Gardens
was established for re-introductions of this species to the
wild. The research program out