Nickel hyperaccumulation in Antidesma montis-silam: from herbarium discovery to collection in the native habitat

Abstract

The majority of nickel hyperaccumulator plant species have been discovered by screening using a field spot test based on dimethylglyoxime. Recently, the use of a portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy instruments has enabled non-destructive analyses of existing herbarium collections. Given that the family Phyllanthaceae globally has the greatest numbers of hyperaccumulators, all available specimens from this family, including the speciose genus Antidesma, at the Forest Research Centre Herbarium in Sabah, Malaysia, were analysed. The results reveal 9 new manganese hyperaccumulators in the genus Antidesma, including Antidesma puncticulatum, with manganese concentrations reaching up to 46,400 µg g−1. Prior to this study, only one manganese hyperaccumulator had been recorded in Sabah. The present study is the first to discover nickel hyperaccumulator plant species (four species) in the genus Antidesma, including Antidesma montis-silam with concentrations reaching up to 32,700 µg g−1. Further collection and analyses of plant material of Antidesma montis-silam in the native habitat confirmed the high foliar nickel concentrations. The high nickel hyperaccumulating characteristic and ostensibly fast growth rate of Antidesma montis-silam infer potential for use in agromining technology. Some species in the genus Antidesma exhibit co-accumulation of manganese and nickel. This case-study shows how herbarium XRF screening can lead to discovery of taxa with unique properties.