Plectranthus cataractarum
| Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Family |
| PLANTAE |
TRACHEOPHYTA |
MAGNOLIOPSIDA |
LAMIALES |
LABIATAE |
| Scientific Name: |
Plectranthus cataractarum |
| Species Authority: |
B.J.Pollard |
Assessment Information
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| Red List Category & Criteria: |
Vulnerable
A2c; B2ab(ii,iv,v); C2a(i); D2
ver 3.1
|
| Year Published: |
2003 |
| Assessor/s: |
Pollard, B.J. & Paton, A.J. |
| Reviewer/s: |
Hilton-Taylor, C. & Pollock, C.M. (Red List Programme Office) |
| Contributor/s: |
|
Justification:
P. cataractarum has been listed as Vulnerable due to its area of occupancy being no more than 5–10 km² and is known to exist at fewer than 10 locations. Other factors that have influenced this categorization are its extreme habitat specificity, the likely extinction of this species at the Njonji location and the continuing decline of this species due to habitat loss from large-scale wood plantations, selective logging and clear-cutting.
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Geographic Range
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| Range Description: |
Subpopulations have been found on Mt Cameroon, the Bakossi Mts and Etinde in Cameroon. Equatorial Guinea subpopulations have been located in Ureka and Moca. |
| Countries: |
Native: Cameroon; Equatorial Guinea (Bioko) |
| Range Map: |
Click here to open the map viewer and explore range. |
Population
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| Population Trend: |
Decreasing
|
Habitat and Ecology
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| Habitat and Ecology: |
A rheophytic herb, located in the spray zone of waterfalls on wet rocks in or around fast flowing water, within lowland or submontane evergreen forest, rarely non-epilithic on edge of watercourses, 300–1,450 m altitude.
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| Systems: |
Terrestrial; Freshwater |
| Major Threat(s): |
P. cataractarum does not appear to be under immediate threat in the Bakossi Mts, but at the end of 2000 there were reports of government proposals to allow timber extractions in the area. Forest clearance for wood plantations up to the 1,000 m contour on Mt Cameroon is threatened. Consequently P. cataractarum is likely to become extinct at the Njonji site in the immediate future, if it is not already so. Changes in run-off regime following deforestation within the stream catchments may result in habitat changes which are unfavourable to this species, such as increased silting along watercourses.
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Conservation Actions
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| Conservation Actions: |
The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MINEF) has proposed the creation of two government forest reserves. One of the forest reserves would encompass 54,000 hectares of the Bakossi Mountains and almost certainly include the Kodmin locality for P. cataractarum. An attempt should also be made to confirm if this species still exists on Mt Etinde or not.
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