金蓮木（Ochna integerrima）為金蓮木科木本植物，既具有極高的觀賞價值也是少數的木本全材藥用植物，其樹皮可用於治療消化系統疾病，樹根具有驅蚊殺蟲藥性，樹葉和樹枝含有多種黃酮類化合物。經研究測定，從其樹葉和樹枝中提取的黃酮苷類化合物具有抗愛滋病（HIV）活性。現今金蓮木已被中國列為國家瀕危保護植物。
中科院華南植物園生物技術研究組馬國華研究員等先後以金蓮木未成熟胚的子葉以及金蓮木的葉片、芽等不同外植體，誘導不定芽和體細胞胚發生。研究發現，低濃度的苯基噻二唑基脲（TDZ）誘導不定芽，高濃度的苯基噻二唑基脲（TDZ）能誘導體細胞胚發生，以葉片為外植體能直接誘導不定芽和體細胞胚發生。目前該研究組已成功建立了金蓮木高效繁殖體系和再生植株體系。此研究結果不僅加強了對該物種的有效保護，同時也推進了它的生理生化和分子生物學的研究及其利用，更進一步表明了通過生物技術手段對珍惜瀕危藥用植物的保護與利用的科學性和可行性。
該研究成果分別刊登在Propagation of Ornamental Plants和Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture等國際學術期刊上。(生物谷Bioon.com)
生物谷推薦英文摘要：
Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture DOI: 10.1007/s11240-010-9812-7
Shoot organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis from leaf and shoot explants of Ochna integerrima (Lour)
Guohua Ma, Jinfeng Lü, Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva, Xinhua Zhang and Jietang Zhao
Ochna integerrima is a medicinal and ornamental plant in Southeastern Asia. It has been listed as a rare and endangered species in China. Here we studied the effects of plant growth regulators and their concentrations on the induction of somatic embryogenesis and shoot organogenesis from leaf and shoot explants of O. integerrima for the first time. Cytokinins played a crucial role in somatic embryogenesis and shoot organogenesis. Among them, a higher concentration of thidiazuron (10.0–15.0 μM TDZ) could induce both somatic embryogenesis and adventitious shoot formation whereas low concentrations of TDZ (5.0 μM) could only induce adventitious shoots. However, 6-benzyladenine (BA at 5–15 μM) could only induce adventitious shoots. Shoot explants induced more adventitious shoots and somatic embryos than leaf explants when cultured on medium with the same concentration (5–15 μM) of TDZ or 15 μM BA. Medium containing 0.5 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid and 8 μM indole-3-butyric acid and 0.1% activated charcoal could induce adventitious roots within 1 month. An efficient mass propagation and regeneration system has been established.