Ossiculum aurantiacum
– Critically Endangered
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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PLANTAE
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Phylum:
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TRACHEOPHYTA
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Class:
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LILIOPSIDA
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Order:
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ORCHIDALES
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Family:
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ORCHIDACEAE
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Scientific Name:
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Ossiculum aurantiacum
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Species Authority:
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P.J.Cribb & Laan
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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CR B2ab(iii) ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2004
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Assessor/s:
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Pollard, B.J. & Darbyshire, I.
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Evaluator/s:
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Zapfack, L. & Cribb, P.J. (Orchid Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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This monospecific genus has not been seen since it was first discovered in 1980, despite several thousand collections since being made within 50 miles of the type location. The recent construction of a road along the border of the Mungo River Forest Reserve provides greater accessibility into this species’ only known location and may result in intensification of forest clearance outside of the reserve boundary and encroachment of small-scale cash-crop agriculture into the reserve.
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Known only from the type collection, 13 km from Kumba on the road to Loum, Mungo River Forest Reserve, W Cameroon.
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Countries:
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Native:
Cameroon
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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An epiphyte in lowland evergreen rainforest; 200 m alt.
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System:
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Terrestrial
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List of Habitats:
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| 1.6 | Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland |
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Threats
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List of Threats:
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| 1.1.1.2 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Crops - Small-holder farming (future) |
| 1.3.3.3 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Extraction - Wood - Clear-cutting (future) |
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Urgent action is required to address the issues of timber extraction from the Mungo River area, and to protect the existing forest reserves from illegal encroachment of agricultural activity. Intensive orchid surveying should be carried out for the CRES Orchid Programme at Mungo and other nearby lowland areas, such as the adjacent Loum Forest Reserve.
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