The botanical garden has an unrivaled collection of Mexican cycad species, and the Ecological Institute is home to Dr Andrew Vovides.
Andrew kindly showed me the collections and told me the fascinating stories behind his collecting trips and the dire state of cycad conservation of these species.





It is endangered because the plants are harvested for alcohol.

These are endangered plants that will prevent wild plants from being harvested.

looks very un-cycad like! The leaflets are enormous.
It's critically endangered because of habitat loss.

It is endangered because of habitat destruction and over -collecting for ornamental purposes.

Dahlias are native to Mexico.
