scholarly journals Taxonomic monograph of Oxygyne (Thismiaceae), rare achlorophyllous mycoheterotrophs with strongly disjunct distribution

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Cheek ◽  
Hirokazu Tsukaya ◽  
Paula J. Rudall ◽  
Kenji Suetsugu
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Disjunct Distribution ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
African Species ◽  
Japanese Species ◽  
In The Wild

Oxygyne Schltr. (Thismiaceae) is a rare and little-known genus of achlorophyllous mycoheterotrophic perennial herbs with one of the most remarkable distributions of all angiosperm plant genera globally, being disjunct between Japan and West–Central Africa. Each species is known only from a single location, and in most cases from a single specimen. This monographic study names, describes and maps two new species, Oxygyne duncanii Cheek from cloud forest in SW Region Cameroon and O. frankei Cheek from gallery forest in the Central African Republic, representing the first new Oxygyne species described from Africa in 112 years, and raising the number of described Oxygyne species from four to six. Oxygyne duncanii is remarkable for sharing more morphological characters with two of the three Japanese species (O. hyodoi C.Abe & Akasawa, O. shinzatoi (H. Ohashi) Tsukaya) than with the geographically much closer type species of the genus, O. triandra from Mt Cameroon. Based mainly on herbarium specimens and field observations made in Cameroon and Japan during a series of botanical surveys, we provide descriptions, synonymy, mapping and extinction risk assessments for each species of Oxygyne, together with keys to the genera of Thismiaceae and the species of Oxygyne. The subterranean structures of African Oxygyne are described for the first time, and found to be consistent with those of the Japanese species. We review and reject an earlier proposal that the Japanese species should be segregated from the African species as a separate genus, Saionia Hatus. The only character that separates the two disjunct species groups is now flower colour: blue or partly-blue in the Japanese species compared with orange-brown in the African species. Studies of the pollination biology and mycorrhizal partners of Oxygyne are still lacking. Two of the six species, O. triandra Schltr. and O. hyodoi, appear to be extinct, and the remaining four are assessed as Critically Endangered using the IUCN 2012 criteria. To avoid further extinction, an urgent requirement is for conservation management of the surviving species in the wild. Since few achlorophyllous mycoheterotrophs have been successfully cultivated from seed to maturity, ex situ conservation will not be viable for these species and protection in the wild is the only viable option. While natural habitat survives, further botanical surveys could yet reveal additional new species between Central Africa and Japan.

THREE NEW SPECIES OF CHASSALIA AND PSYCHOTRIA (RUBIACEAE) FROM CENTRAL AFRICA

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Lachenaud ◽  
D. J. Harris
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Central African Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Corolla Tube ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
African Species ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Three New Species

Three new species of Rubiaceae from Central Africa are described and illustrated. Chassalia lutescens O.Lachenaud & D.J.Harris (widespread from Cameroon to Democratic Republic of Congo) is recognised inter alia by the T-shaped ventral furrow of the seeds and the orange-yellow discoloration of inflorescences in herbarium specimens. Psychotria nodiflora O.Lachenaud & D.J.Harris (Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville and Democratic Republic of Congo), belonging to Psychotria subgen. Psychotria sect. Involucratae, is unique among African species of the genus in having paired axillary inflorescences. Psychotria pteropus O.Lachenaud & D.J.Harris (Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo) belongs to Psychotria subgen. Tetramerae; it is closely related to P. leptophylla Hiern but differs in its narrow corolla tube and globose to ellipsoid fruits.

scholarly journals Conservation and behavior of Africa’s “Big Five”

2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 486-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Caro ◽  
Jason Riggio
Keyword(s):  
Big Five ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
In Situ Conservation ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Flagship Species ◽  
African Species ◽  
In The Wild

Abstract We examine the conservation status of Africa’s “Big Five”: lion, leopard, buffalo, black and white rhinoceros and elephant, and the role of behavioral knowledge in their conservation. Efforts to conserve these flagship species consist of in situ conservation, captive breeding and reintroductions. With a few exceptions, we find limited evidence that knowledge of behavior informs conservation programs targeted at these species. For management in the wild, knowledge of infanticide and ranging can provide guidelines for realistic hunting quotas and corridors between protected areas, respectively. For ex situ and reintroduction programs, behavioral knowledge is chiefly focused on improved animal husbandry. Despite a formidable understanding of these species’ behavior, the practicalities of using such knowledge may be diminished because exploitation of these species is so forceful and the bulk of efforts aimed at conserving these species (and indeed most other African species) are primarily in situ where behaviorally driven interventions are limited. Our comparative findings suggest that behavior has been of rather narrow use in the conservation of these flagship species [Current Zoology 60 (4): 486–499, 2014].

scholarly journals Mine versus Wild: a plant conservation checklist of the rich Iron-Ore Ngovayang Massif Area (South Cameroon)

2019 ◽  
Vol 152 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-29
Author(s):  
Vincent Droissart ◽  
Olivier Lachenaud ◽  
Gilles Dauby ◽  
Steven Dessein ◽  
Gyslène Kamdem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Plant Conservation ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Altitudinal Distribution

Background and aims – The rapid expansion of human activities in South Cameroon, particularly mining in mountainous areas, threatens this region’s exceptional biodiversity. To comprehend the effects of land-use change on plant diversity and identify conservation priorities, we aim at providing a first comprehensive plant checklist of the Ngovayang Massif, focusing on the two richest plant families, Orchidaceae and Rubiaceae.Location – The Ngovayang Massif Area (NMA) is located in the South Region of Cameroon. It is covered by lowland and submontane rainforest (100 to 1110 m elevation).Methods – We compiled a dataset of 6116 georeferenced herbarium specimens, of which 2787 belong to Rubiaceae and Orchidaceae. We used rarefaction methods to explore sampling and diversity patterns, and investigated the altitudinal distribution of rare and/or threatened taxa.Key results – The NMA, which houses about 1500 vascular plant taxa, is the richest documented area for Rubiaceae in Atlantic Central Africa (ACA) and the fifth for Orchidaceae, with respectively 281 and 111 taxa. Among these taxa, 178 (45%) are endemic to ACA and 67 (17%) are considered globally threatened according to IUCN categories and criteria. We show that higher elevation areas (> 750 m), which are also the main areas targeted for mining, are the richest in endangered and/or rare species. Three new records for Cameroon are reported here.Conclusion – The NMA represents an Important Plant Area of Cameroon as confirmed by its exceptional plant diversity (> 20% of the total Flora of Cameroon), by the concentration of many threatened and/or restricted range species (10 taxa are strict endemics of the massif) as well as by the threat on rare habitats (i.e. the submontane vegetation above ~750 m elevation). A management plan involving in situ and ex situ conservation actions is urgently needed to reduce the potential threats of future mining activities.

scholarly journals When xylarium and herbarium meet: linking Tervuren xylarium wood samples with their herbarium specimens at Meise Botanic Garden

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Vanden Abeele ◽  
Hans Beeckman ◽  
Tom De Mil ◽  
Cecile De Troyer ◽  
Victor Deklerck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Africa ◽  
Reference Value ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Reference Database ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Botanic Garden ◽  
African Species ◽  
Wood Trait ◽  
Plant Collections

The current data paper aims to interlink the African plant collections of the Meise Botanic Garden Herbarium (BR) and the Royal Museum for Central Africa Xylarium (Tw). Complementing both collections strengthens the reference value of each institutional collection, as more complete metadata are made available and it enables increased quality control for the identification of wood specimens. Furthermore, the renewed connection enables the linking of available wood trait data with data on phenology, leaf morphology or even molecular information for many tree species, allowing assessments of performance of individual trees. In addition to studies at the interspecific level, comparisons at the intraspecific level become possible, which could lead to important new insights into resilience to and impact of global change, as well as biodiversity conservation or forest management of Central African forest ecosystems. By interlinking the Tervuren Xylarium Wood database with the recently digitised herbarium of Meise Botanic Garden, we were able to establish a link between 6,621 xylarium and 9,641 herbarium records for 6,953 plant specimens. Both institutional databases were complemented with reliable specimen metadata. The Tervuren xylarium now profits from taxonomic revisions made by botanists at Meise Botanic Garden and a list of phenotypical features for woody African species can be extended with wood anatomical descriptors. New metadata from the Tw xylarium records were used to add the country of collection to 50 linked BR herbarium specimens for which this information was missing. Furthermore, metadata available from the labels on digitised BR herbarium specimens was used to update Tw xylarium records with the date of collection (817 records), collection locality (698 records), coordinates (482 records) and altitude (817 records). In conclusion, we created a reference database with reliable botanic identities which can be used in a range of studies, such as modelling analyses, community assessments or trait analyses, all framed in a spatiotemporal context. Furthermore, the linked collections hold historical reference data and specimens that can be studied in the context of global changes.

Synoptic revision of the genus Cyrtorchis Schltr. (Angraecinae, Orchidaceae) in Central Africa, with the description of a new species restricted to submontane vegetation

Phytotaxa ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 267 (3) ◽  
pp. 165
Author(s):  
LAURA AZANDI ◽  
TARIQ STEVART ◽  
BONAVENTURE SONKÉ ◽  
MURIELLE SIMO-DROISSART ◽  
MARIE-LOUISE AVANA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
New Records ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Iucn Red List Categories ◽  
One New Species ◽  
A New Species

As a preliminary step to the taxonomic revision of the genus Cyrtorchis, a synoptic revision of the species occurring in Central Africa was undertaken. Based on a detailed examination of 1,039 herbarium specimens, including nomenclatural types, we have recognized 14 species in Central Africa (one of which is divided into two subspecies), including one new species that the study brought to light, described here as Cyrtorchis submontana. The new species closely resembles C. guillaumetii and C. brownii in general aspect, but differs from them in having thinner, small elliptic leaves and shorter, fewer-flowered, more lax inflorescences with shorter bracts. The species is restricted to submontane vegetation of Central Africa and is assessed as Endangered following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Cyrtorchis latibracteata and C. subcylindrifolia are lectotypified, and the latter is placed as a synonym under C. henriquesiana. Many new records are reported, and for each taxon the distribution, habitat and ecology are given. An identification key for the Central African taxa is also provided.

scholarly journals Pholiota oblita, new species in sect. Adiposae stirps Subflammans (Strophariaceae, Agaricomycetes), from the Argentinean Yungas

Phytotaxa ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 167 (3) ◽  
pp. 276 ◽  
Author(s):  
NICOLÁS NIVEIRO ◽  
ORLANDO F. POPOFF ◽  
BERNARDO E. LECHNER ◽  
EDGARDO O. ALBERTÓ
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Type Specimen ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
South American ◽  
Original Material ◽  
Current Usage ◽  
The Republic ◽  
A New Species

We present a study on the genus Pholiota sect. Adiposae stirps Subflammans from the Republic of Argentina. Pholiota oblita is proposed as a new species. It is characterized by its narrow lamellae, elongated cheilocystidia and broad spores. Singer originally described this species as P. digilioi, but this name was never validly published. Pholiota oblita is close to P. flammans, from the Northern Hemisphere, and P. subflammans, from the South American Andino-Patagonic forest, but differs by the diagnostic characters previously mentioned. The species was found in the southern end of the Yungas Forest, a cloud forest located on the eastern slopes of the sub-Andean mountains. Numerous collections of P. oblita were found in the Yungas forest but not in other areas. We believe that it could be an endemic species. Furthermore, we found that there are no herbarium specimens for the type of Pholiota subflammans (Speg.) Sacc. With the absence of original material, and to preserve current usage of the name, a neotype is designated hereby. The neotype chosen for P. subflammans is a specimen determined, described, and collected by Singer in the same area where the type specimen was found by Spegazzini.

scholarly journals A new species of Clandestinotrema (Ascomycota: Ostropales: Graphidaceae) from montane cloud forest in the Venezuelan Andes

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-10
Author(s):  
Ian D. Medeiros
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Montane Cloud Forest ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Olive Green

AbstractRevision of lichen herbarium specimens at DUKE revealed a species of thelotremoid Graphidaceae new to science. Clandestinotrema carbonera sp. nov. is characterized by an olive-green thallus, dense cortex, the absence of a columella, ascospores 15–24 × 5.5–8.0 μm with 3–5 transverse septa (occasionally submuriform), and the presence of hypostictic acid as a major substance. At present the species is known only from the type locality, an area of montane cloud forest near Mérida, Venezuela. Interestingly, this species appears to have been discussed in the literature once before, as an unnamed ‘Thelotrema sp.’ which in the 1970s provided the first instance of hypostictic acid isolated from a lichen. The previous report of C. leucomelaenum from the same locality is shown to actually represent C. pauperius.

scholarly journals Population Genetic Diversity and Structure of Threatened Magnolia Species in Western Mexico

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Angel Muñiz-Castro ◽  
Gabriela Lopez-Barrera ◽  
Maried Ochoa-Zavala ◽  
Patricia Castro-Felix ◽  
Jose Antonio Vazquez-Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
New Species ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Isolation By Distance ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Genetic Diversity And Structure

Abstract Background: Genetic diversity is needed to preserve the capability of a species to survive to environmental changes. Due to the presence of small isolated populations, relict species such as Magnolia are at an elevated extinction risk. In recent years, many new species of Magnolia have been described in Mexico, each one classified by its category of risk. To achieve conservation, knowledge of their basic level of biological diversity is essential to design adequate conservation plans and avoid the negative consequences of genetic loss. Here, we implemented nuclear microsatellite markers to assess 13 populations of three new species of Magnolia that were all previously considered to be Magnolia pacifica. We aimed to evaluate the genetic agreement with the distinction of these three different morphological species (e.g., their species integrity) and to determine their levels of genetic diversity and their geographic distribution to propose conservation strategies. Results: We found high levels of genetic diversity compared to other Magnolia species with no sign of inbreeding. We found a small effective population size and a prevalence of bottlenecks in some populations. The patterns of genetic subdivision did not support the current morphological distinction of three different species. Instead, we suggest that the genetic structure pattern is the result of historical connectivity and the continuous natural fragmentation of the forest. Thus, an isolation by distance pattern may have had an important role in shaping allele frequencies, producing local genetic differences. Conclusions: We argue that a major threat underlies the actual trends of habitat loss, which can directly impact the loss of genetic diversity in the current adult individuals and consequently, increase the risk of extinction in further generations. For conservation purposes, we suggest combining in situ and ex situ conservation of populations with the maintenance of connectivity among the local populations.

Passiflora nebulosae (Passifloraceae, subgenus Tryphostemmatoides) a distinctive new critically endangered species discovered in the Colombian Andes

Phytotaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 400 (4) ◽  
pp. 237
Author(s):  
JORGE JULIÁN RESTREPO ◽  
JOHN OCAMPO ◽  
WILMER GIRALDO
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Leaf Margin ◽  
Critically Endangered Species ◽  
Colombian Andes ◽  
Living Material ◽  
A New Species

A new species of Passiflora belonging to the subg. Tryphostemmatoides from Colombia in the Andean region is described and illustrated from living material, as well as from herbarium specimens. Passiflora nebulosae Restrepo & Ocampo is similar to P. discophora and P. pacifica, but can be recognized mainly by its petiole length (up to 8 mm), leaf margin glands (6‒10), coriaceous leaves, peduncle bifurcate, operculum margin crenate, and limen margin lacerate. The new species is a narrow endemic discovered in cloud forest margins between 1750‒2352 m. It is regarded as critically endangered (CR) because of its restricted occurrence with a small population size.

scholarly journals Forensic application of DNA barcoding for identification of illegally traded African pangolin scales

Genome ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Mwale ◽  
Desire L. Dalton ◽  
Raymond Jansen ◽  
Marli De Bruyn ◽  
Darren Pietersen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Barcoding ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
African Species ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
Anthropogenic Habitat ◽  
Manis Javanica ◽  
D Loop ◽  
Specific Species

The escalating growth in illegal wildlife trade and anthropogenic habitat changes threaten the survival of pangolin species worldwide. All eight extant species have experienced drastic population size reductions globally with a high extinction risk in Asia. Consequently, forensic services have become critical for law enforcement, with a need for standardised and validated genetic methods for reliable identifications. The seizure of three tonnes of pangolin scales, believed to have originated from Africa, by Hong Kong Customs Authorities provided an opportunity for the application of DNA barcoding in identifying scales. Three mitochondrial DNA gene regions (COI, Cyt b, and D-loop) were amplified for a subsample of the confiscated material and compared with taxonomically verified references. All four African species were recovered as monophyletic with high interspecific uncorrected p-distance estimates (0.048–0.188) among genes. However, only three of four African species (Phataginus tricuspis, Phataginus tetradactyla, and Smutsia gigantea, originating from West and Central Africa) and one of four Asian species (Manis javanica from Southeast Asia) were identified among scales. Although the assignment of unknown scales to specific species was reliable, additional genetic tools and representative reference material are required to determine geographic origins of confiscated pangolin specimens.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document