Melocactus deinacanthus

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
PLANTAE	TRACHEOPHYTA	MAGNOLIOPSIDA	CARYOPHYLLALES	CACTACEAE

Scientific Name:	Melocactus deinacanthus
Species Authority:	Buining & Brederoo

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) ver 3.1
Year Published:	2002
Annotations:	Needs updating
Assessor/s:	Taylor, N.P.
Reviewer/s:	Stuppy, W. & Taylor, N.P. (Cacti & Succulent Plant Red List Authority)
Contributor/s:
Justification: It seems to be known from only a single roadside site (extent of occurrence and area of occupancy is estimated to be less than 10 km²). Its rarity and vulnerability to commercial exploitation has caused it to be placed on Appendix I of CITES, since June 1992.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	From central-southern Bahia ,where it appears to have a very limited distribution east of the Rio São Francisco and is presently known from only one locality, where it is a co-dominant element of the rupicolous vegetation.
Countries:	Native: Brazil (Bahia)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Southern Rio São Francisco caatinga element: on a gneissic inselberg in caatinga east of the Rio São Francisco, 500–540 m.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):

Loss of habitat and impact of collectors.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

Listed on CITES App. I.

Bibliography [top]

IUCN. 2002. 2002 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 8 October 2002. Taylor, N.P. 1991. The genus Melocactus in Central and South America. Bradleya 9: 1–80. Taylor, N.P. and Zappi, D.C. 2004. Cacti of Eastern Brazil. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.