Oldenlandia adscensionis
Taxonomy [top]
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLANTAE | TRACHEOPHYTA | MAGNOLIOPSIDA | RUBIALES | RUBIACEAE |
| Scientific Name: | Oldenlandia adscensionis |
| Species Authority: | (DC.) Cronk |
| Synonym/s: |
Hedyotis adscensionis DC.
Oldenlandia adscenionis (DC.) Cronk [orth. error]
|
Assessment Information [top]
| Red List Category & Criteria: | Extinct ver 3.1 |
| Year Published: | 2003 |
| Assessor/s: | Gray, A. |
| Reviewer/s: | Cronk, Q. & Cairns-Wicks, R. (South Atlantic Island Plants Red List Authority) |
|
Justification: O. adscensionis was formerly found on Green Mountain on the northern and western slopes between 356 m and 680 m but has not been seen since Gordon found it in 1889 (Cronk 1980). A sighting in 1985 (Cronk 2000) remains unconfirmed as no specimen was collected or photographed. The last assessment (Cronk 1980) listed this species as extinct, no further records have surfaced despite searches in 1998 and 2002, therefore due to the lack of evidence for the persistence it is suggested that O. adscensionis should continue to be regarded as extinct. If specimens of this species are extant then they are likely to be ephemeral in nature and very susceptible to grazing mammals. The large-scale introductions of exotic plant species and browsing by goats are thought to have contributed to the demise of this species (Cronk 1980). |
|
Geographic Range [top]
| Range Description: | Known only from Ascension Island, South Atlantic Ocean. |
| Countries: |
Regionally extinct:
Saint Helena (Ascension)
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| Range Map: | Click here to open the map viewer and explore range. |
Habitat and Ecology [top]
| Habitat and Ecology: | Previously recorded in the lowland dry and upland moist habitats on Ascension Island. |
| Systems: | Terrestrial |
Threats [top]
| Major Threat(s): | Introduced plants have completely replaced the original vegetation communities and livestock (sheep and donkeys now present) goats were likely to have been historically responsible for the decline. |
Conservation Actions [top]
| Conservation Actions: | The species needs to be searched for, a plant matching the description was found near Devil’s Riding School in 1985 but no specimen was collected and the plant had disappeared by 1986 (Cronk 2000). |
Bibliography [top]
|
Ashmole, P. and Ashmole M. 2000. St Helena and Ascension Island: a natural history. Anthony Nelson, Oswestry, UK. Cronk, Q.C.B. 1980. Extinction and survival in the endemic flora of Ascension Island. Biological Conservation 17(3): 207-219. Cronk, Q.C.B. 1992. Relict floras of Atlantic Islands: patterns assessed. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 46: 91-103. Cronk, Q.C.B. 1997. Islands: stability, diversity, and conservation. Biological Conservation. 6: 477-493. Cronk, Q.C.B. 2000. The Endemic Flora of St. Helena. Anthony Nelson Publishers, Oswestry, UK. Duffey, E. 1964. The terrestrial ecology of Ascension Island. Journal of Applied Ecology 1: 219-251. Gray, A., Gardner, S., Kirk, L., Robinson, P., Smölka, Z. and Webster, L. 2000. The status and distribution of the endemic vascular flora of Ascension Island. Unpublished Report. IUCN. 2003. 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 18 November 2003. White, R, and George, T. 2002. Status of endemic plants on Ascension Island in 2002. Ascension Conservation Draft Report. |
| Citation: | Gray, A. 2003. Oldenlandia adscensionis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012. |
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