Re-establishment of the extinct native plant Filago gallica L. (Asteraceae), narrow-leaved cudweed, in Britain

This paper describes the conservation work carried out in Britain on the rare annual narrow-leaved cudweed (Filago gallica L.), under Plantlife's 'Back from the brink' project. It has been recorded in about 30 confirmed sites, mainly from sands and gravels in south-east England. It became extinct in England in 1955, but survived in one site on Sark, Channel Islands. Native mainland material of F. gallica had been maintained in cultivation since 1948 and provided an opportunity to re-establish the plant. Historical records were used to help plan the reintroduction; these indicated that it used to be found on light sandy/gravelly soils, in areas with a high summer temperature, in open Thero-Airertalia vegetation usually with other Filago species. Pot-grown plants and seed were reintroduced to the wild in 1994 at the last known site, and by 1998 the species was successfully re-established. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.