Pinus radiata var. binata
| Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Family |
| PLANTAE |
TRACHEOPHYTA |
CONIFEROPSIDA |
CONIFERALES |
PINACEAE |
| Scientific Name: |
Pinus radiata var. binata |
| Species Authority: |
D.Don |
| Infra-specific Authority: |
(Engelm.) Lemmon |
Common Name/s:
| English |
– |
Cedros Island Pine, Guadalupe Island Pine, Insignis Pine, Radiata Pine |
| Spanish |
– |
Pino Insigne |
|
Assessment Information
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| Red List Category & Criteria: |
Endangered
C1
ver 2.3
|
| Year Assessed: |
1998 |
| Annotations: |
Needs updating
|
| Assessor/s: |
Conifer Specialist Group |
| History: |
| 1997 |
– |
Endangered
(Walter and Gillett 1998)
|
|
Geographic Range
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| Range Description: |
Recorded from Guadelupe Island, an uninhabited island 250 km off the mainland, and from Cedros Island (part of Baja-California), Mexico. The name P. binnata var. cedrosensis is used by some people, for the Cedros Island population.
The pines on Guadalupe Island are narrowly distributed at the north end of the island, along the uppermost slopes of the central ridge.
|
| Countries: |
Native:
Mexico (Baja California, Guadalupe I.)
|
Population
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| Population: |
A census, taken in May 2001, indicates a total population of approximately 200 trees, all of them over-mature (Rogers et al. 2002). No evidence of the pitch canker disease (caused by the fungus Fusarium circinatum) that has affected mainland (California) subpopulations of P. radiata was found. A few seedlings were found in 2001 (indicating natural regeneration is still feasible), but would no doubt soon be eaten by goats. There has apparently been a 50% reduction in number of trees since 1964.
On Cedros Island, there are two main subpopulations of pines: a central and northern subpopulation, separated by approximately 13 km, with some scattered trees and small stands outside these two occurrences. The pines are largely restricted to the upper, western slopes of the northern mountain range, which extends from the central to northern regions of Cedros Island in roughly a north-south alignment. There is no comprehensive census, but there are thousands of trees and no apparent losses of habitat over the last several decades. In May 2001, the pines were described as fairly young over much of the current range, with seedlings in all stands.
|
Habitat and Ecology
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| Major Threat(s): |
There has apparently been no natural regeneration of the pines on Guadelupe for many decades, a result of grazing by introduced goats which have become feral. On Cedros Island, although the pines are currently regenerating well, they remain vulnerable to the introduction of pitch canker from the nearby Mexican mainland, and to the uncertain impacts of possibly frequent fires, climate change, and some introduced species.
|
Conservation Actions
[top]
| Conservation Actions: |
It is critical that the goats on Guadelupe Island be removed or controlled soon, if the pines are to recover.
|
