A rare plant species that can only be found in Samoa and is known locally as Maniuniu or through its scientific name Balaka insularis has been transplanted at a rare species garden at Vailima.

The Balaka insularis is a rare species of flower in the palm family endemic to Samoa and can only be found in Aopo. It grows in wet, mountainous, montane rain and cloud forests exceeding 500 meters.

To mark its first transplanting outside of its locality, a special ceremony was held at the Art Whistler Memorial Garden at Vailima on Thursday morning where it was planted. 

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.), the Samoa Conservation Society (S.C.S.) and members of the Vailima village.

The Art Whistler Memorial Garden is a joint project between the S.C.S. and M.N.R.E. and is dedicated to the memory of the late ethnobotanist Dr. Art Whistler. The garden is home to rare and endemic Samoan plant species that were the subject of Dr. Whistler during his 50-plus years of studying Samoan plant species.

The S.C.S. Threatened Plant Conservation Coordinator, Aloma Black, told the Samoa Observer that the Balaka insularis has gone through several name changes. 

She said it started off as the Drymophleus and then became the Solfia before reverting to the Drymophleus.

"When they found that it didn't match any of the genetic markers of those two genus (the Drymophleus and Solfia) then found it was more common with the Balaka," Ms Black said. "So this is the Balaka insularis and it is only found in Aopo on the trail up to Mt. Silisili."

Asked why the plant is only found in Aopo, she said: "Aopo has quite a high elevation and Mt. Silisili is the tallest mountain Samoa, it's probably the environmental conditions that have made it appear in that area naturally."

Ms. Black said that they are able to work with it for ex situ conservation, which is the technique of conservation of all levels of biological diversity outside of their natural habitats through different techniques.

Asked about the chances of the plant surviving outside of its natural habitat, she said that they have had some success with it in their plant nurseries.

"They take some extra care and time, you have to get the watering right and luckily we are here at Mt. Vaea, so we are on higher elevation," she said. 

"So hopefully it will have a good chance of surviving, its been doing so well in our nursery."

She had also commended the work of the M.N.R.E. staff that are based at the botanical gardens who will be looking after the plant.

The S.C.S. President James Atherton told the Samoa Observer that garden development and plant conservation are key priority areas for the S.C.S. 

"We look forward to building on our Art Whistler Memorial Garden and expanding it out to include other kinds of plants like medicinal plants, butterfly plants ferns, orchids," Mr. Atherton said.