THE DNA of endangered trees found only in the Caucasus Mountains in Europe will be analysed by a botanist in Chagford in a bid to understand more about the trees and how they have evolved.

Paul Bartlett, garden manager of Stone Lane Gardens, recently undertook a plant study expedition to Georgia to study rare birch trees unique to the mountain range, which also stretches across southern Russia and Azerbaijan.

He was in the country for three weeks to carry out the work, which was made additionally complex by the rarity of the birches being studied.

Paul said: 'The birch in Georgia and across the mountains are rare, and so they are something I have wanted to study for quite a while. A number of grants enabled me to go and carry out the study, and bring back seeds and samples.

'The main thing was to bring seeds back to the UK, and study closely how they grow, and match up with trees here. We are very keen to see how they get on here in the garden, and as a specialist in birch and alder trees, we are well placed to grow them here.

'Previously there has been bark and other material sent over from Russian scientists. That is all very well, but it doesn't tell us anything about the trees and what conditions they cope in best, how they grow, or anything like that really. That is something we are keen to explore.'

He brought back seeds of three species of birch — Betula medwedewii, Betula litwinowii and Betula raddeana from his three week visit. While in Georgia, he studied where the trees grow and at what altitude they prosper, and also how they bred with other trees in the region.

As well as keeping seeds to plant in the five-acre garden, which has trees collected from around the northern hemisphere by the garden's creator Kenneth Ashburner, seeds will also be distributed to other botanic gardens in the UK.

Once the seeds have germinated and been raised, tissue samples will be sent to Queen Mary University of London for analysis of its DNA structure in a longer term project.

Besides the work of Kenneth Ashburner and birch expert Hugh McAllister, the only previous research published on the species in the wild were by Russian and Georgian botanists. The lack of research written in English makes the work of added importance.

The trip was made possible by support from the RHS, Percy Sladen Memorial Fund, Stanley Smith (UK) Horticultural Trust, Plant Heritage Devon Group and the Royal Forestry Society Randle Travel Fund.

Paul will be giving an illustrated talk on a 2010 plant study in Arunachal Pradesh, a remote part of India, on Thursday November 22. This study also required exploring mountainous areas of the country to study plants endemic to the area.

The talk takes place in the garden's barn at 10.30am, costing £4 for friends of the garden and £8 for non-members, to include entry to the garden. There will be tea, coffee and mince pies before the talk.

To find out more about the work going on at the garden, visit http://www.stonelanegardens.com">www.stonelanegardens.com