一般认为，在气候变化情景下，许多珍稀濒危植物不能适应新的气候，又不能象动物一样迁徙而面临灭绝。然而，最近中科院华南植物园关于虎颜花的异地回归成功案例表明，人为干预可以帮助珍稀濒危植物在气候变化后继续生存。
由华南植物园任海研究员和曾宋君副研究员等近7年的合作研究发现，极濒危植物虎颜花（Tigridiopalma magnifica C. Chen， 野牡丹科单种属植物，因酷似熊掌又名“熊掌”，自然分布于广东阳春附近）共有12个野外居群，但有1个居群已在过去50年内消失。他们通过系统分析虎颜花原产地的生境特征，发现冠层郁闭度、土壤含水量、距离小溪远近等三个生态因子与其分布紧密相关，虎颜花野外自然繁殖有障碍。研究人员采取生物技术和生态恢复技术集成方法，于2009年1月将虎颜花的组培苗原地种植在阳春鹅凰嶂自然保护区，同时易位种植（Translocation）到广东省田心自然保护区（远离这个种的历史分布区）。经过近3年的观测发现，种植于田心自然保护区的虎颜花种群存活率在达到33%以上，长势良好且已产生第二代，实现了该种的易位种植成功（如图）。
针对虎颜花的研究不仅发现全球变化将会导致植物物种的分布范围变化，进而导致物种与生境关系的调整，还表明通过人工帮助下的异地回归技术可以实现珍稀濒危物种迁移/定居，澄清了当前学术界的争论，同时为国家履行全球植物保护战略（GSPC）提供了范例支撑。
该研究结果发表在国际学术期刊Oryx上。该工作得到国家自然科学基金项目的资助。（生物谷Bioon.com）
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Reintroduction of Tigridiopalma magnifica, a rare and Critically Endangered herb endemic to China
Hai Rena1 c1*, Songjun Zenga1*, Longna Lia1, Qianmei Zhanga1, Long Yanga1, Jun Wanga1, Zhengfeng Wanga1 and Qinfeng Guoa2
Tigridiopalma magnifica, a perennial herb and the only species in the genus Tigridiopalma (Family Melastomataceae) is rare and endemic to China where it is categorized as Critically Endangered on the national Red List. Twelve locations with populations of T. magnifica have been identified (1 extinct, 11 extant). T. magnifica only grows in the surface soil on stone walls or rocks under the canopy of secondary forests and plantations and has no specific associated plant species. Canopy closure, soil water content and the distance to the closest stream are the main factors influencing the distribution of T. magnifica. We reintroduced T. magnifica plantlets produced by tissue culture into three locations: one within the species' original range, and 11.5 and 400 km from the species' original range. After 11 months survival rate was 40–58% but survival was higher and plantlet crowns were larger at the location within the species' original range than at the other two sites. The combination of advanced propagation techniques and ecological restoration could facilitate reintroduction and conservation of T. magnifica and other rare and threatened plants. This example of the successful reintroduction of a rare, threatened herb has implications for human-assisted migration and colonization of rare plant species under future climate change scenarios.
