Among the many bits of flora and fauna he cataloged was ivichea irregulari. One of many specimens named after Captain Vichea of the Intrepid, it was an unremarkable deciduous shrub in every way save one: the leaves never seemed to grow in the same shape twice. And unlike the minor variations in oak and maple, the ivichea irregulari varied hugely in both size and shape. It also had an uncharacteristic tendency to grow leaves featuring straight lines and right angles, extremely rare in botany. Garrison preserved pressings of leaves resembling crosses, zigzags, open books, hearts, and a myriad of other shapes.
When his narrative of the voyage and reproductions of his pressings were printed after the Intrepid returned, it created a minor sensation. Some academics accused garrison of altering the leaves with compass and straightedge, while others insisted that he must have confused several closely related plants to obtain the varied samples. The controversy overshadowed much of the expedition’s work, and within two years another vessel had set out to confirm the story.
Sure enough, ivichea irregulari was found, and dozens of specimens were brought back to Europe where they were in huge demand as ornamental plants and curiosities. The price of specimens was so great, in fact, that Charlotte Island was soon denuded of the plants, which became extinct in the wild. They became a fixture of trendy topiary gardens for a number of years, and thanks to the bush’s short germination time and quick growth, breeders were able to create strains with more of the desired, and exotic leaf types.
That was, of course, until a pestilence (which latter-day research revealed to be a variety of Dutch elm disease) swept through the continent. With low genetic diversity, every viable specimen of ivichea irregulari was dead within six years.
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