Pteris adscensionis

– Critically Endangered

Taxonomy

Kingdom:	PLANTAE
Phylum:	POLYPODIOPHYTA
Class:	POLYPODIOPSIDA
Order:	PTERIDALES
Family:	PTERIDACEAE
Scientific Name:	Pteris adscensionis
Species Authority:	Sw.

Assessment Information

Red List Category & Criteria:	CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) ver 3.1 (2001)
Year Assessed:	2003
Assessor/s:	Gray, A.
Evaluator/s:	Cronk, Q., Cairns-Wicks, R. (South Atlantic Island Plants Red List Authority) & Jermy, C., Ranker, T. (Pteridophyte Red List Authority)
Justification:	The last assessment (Cronk 1980) listed P. adscensionis as Endangered. It should now be considered as Critically Endangered using the new IUCN codes. Information comes from literature sources and personal observation. The population has been stable over the last five years but as it is known mostly from one location on Ascension it is extremely susceptible to extinction in the near future.

Geographic Range

Countries:

Native:

Saint Helena (Ascension)

Population

Population Trend:

Habitat and Ecology

System:

Terrestrial

List of Habitats:

16	Introduced vegetation

Threats

List of Threats:

2	Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species) (ongoing)
2.1	Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species) - Competitors (ongoing)
7.5	Natural disasters - Volcanoes (past)
9.8	Intrinsic factors - Population fluctuations (future)
9.9	Intrinsic factors - Restricted range (future)

Conservation Actions

List of Conservation Actions:

1.1.1	Policy-based actions - Management plans - Development (needed)
1.1.2	Policy-based actions - Management plans - Implementation (needed)
1.2.1.3	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - Sub-national level (needed)
2.2	Communication and Education - Awareness (needed)
3.3	Research actions - Biology and Ecology (needed)
3.8	Research actions - Conservation measures (needed)
3.9	Research actions - Trends/Monitoring (needed)
4.1	Habitat and site-based actions - Maintenance/Conservation (needed)
4.2	Habitat and site-based actions - Restoration (needed)
4.4.2	Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Establishment (needed)
4.4.3	Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Management (needed)
5.1	Species-based actions - Re-introductions (needed)
5.4	Species-based actions - Recovery management (needed)
5.7.1	Species-based actions - Ex situ conservation actions - Captive breeding/Artificial propagation (needed)

Bibliography

Bibliography:

Ashmole, P. and Ashmole M. 2000. St Helena and Ascension Island: a natural history. Anthony Nelson, Oswestry, UK.

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.

White, R, and George, T. 2002. Status of endemic plants on Ascension Island in 2002. Ascension Conservation Draft Report.

Citation:	Gray, A. 2003. Pteris adscensionis. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 04 July 2008.
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