Piloting development of species conservation action plans in Guinea

Couch, Charlotte; Molmou, Denise; Magassouba, Sékou; Doumbouya, Saïdou; Diawara, Mamadou Oumar; Diallo, Muhammad Yaya; Keita, Sékou; Koné, Falaye; Diallo, Mahamadou Cellou; Kourouma, Sékou Kobani; Diallo, Mamadou Bella; Keita, Mamady Sayba; Oularé, Aboubacar; Darbyshire, Iain; Gosline, George; Lughadha, Eimear Nic; Burgt, Xander M. van der; Larridon, Isabel; Cheek, Martin

doi:10.1017/s0030605322000138

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 26 publications

(17 reference statements)

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“…by including them in Important Plant Areas (Darbyshire et al 2017) and developing species conservation action plans to improve the likelihood of their survival (e.g. Couch et al 2022). This is crucial since ex situ conservation is currently not possible.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Afrothismiaceae (Dioscoreales), a new fully mycoheterotrophic family endemic to tropical Africa

Cheek

Gomez

Graham

et al. 2023

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Afrothismia is a genus of non-photosynthetic mycoheterotrophs from the forests of continental tropical Africa. Multiple phylogenetic inferences using molecular data recover the genus as sister to a clade comprising mycoheterotrophic Thismiaceae and the photosynthetic family Taccaceae, contrary to earlier placements of Afrothismia and Thismiaceae within Burmanniaceae. Morphological support for separating Afrothismia from the rest of Thismiaceae has depended on the zygomorphic flowers of Afrothismia (although some South American species of Thismia are also zygomorphic) and their clusters of root tubers, each with a terminal rootlet. The number of described species of Afrothismia has recently increased substantially, from four to 16, which has provided additional morphological characters that support its distinction from Thismiaceae. Most notably, the ovary in Afrothismia has a single stalked placenta, and circumscissile fruits from which seeds are exserted by placental elevation (in Thismiaceae, in contrast, there are three placentas, a deliquescing fruit lid, and the seeds are not exserted). Afrothismia stamens are inserted in the lower perianth tube where they are attached to the stigma, and individual flowers are subtended by a single large dorsal bract (in Thismiaceae, stamens are inserted at the mouth of the tube, free of and distant from the stigma, and each flower is subtended by a loose whorl of (2-)3(-4) bracts). Here we formally characterise Afrothismiaceae and review what is known of its development, seed germination, interactions with mycorrhizal Glomeromycota, biogeography, phylogeny and pollination biology. All but one (Afrothismia insignis; Vulnerable) of the 13 species assessed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are either Endangered or Critically Endangered; one species (A. pachyantha Schltr.) is considered to be extinct.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Afrothismiaceae (Dioscoreales), a new fully mycoheterotrophic family endemic to tropical Africa

Cheek

Gomez

Graham

et al. 2023

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“…We hope that future urgent assessments might facilitate the incorporation of these species in protected areas and the development of individual or area-based species conservation action plans (e.g. Couch et al . 2022) to reduce the risk of their extinction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New to Ehretiaceae:Keraunea. Re-evaluation of a genus of climbers from Brazil

Cheek

Lombardi

Simões

et al. 2023

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We definitively place Keraunea, a genus of showy forest climbers from remnants of the Mata Atlantica of Brazil, in Ehretiaceae. Previously Keraunea had been ascribed to Convolvulaceae based on morphology, or divided between Malpighiaceae and Ehretiaceae based on molecular analyses (polyphyletic). Keraunea is morphologically anomalous in the Ehretiaceae, having fruits which are held in the centre of a large wing-like bract by adnation of the pedicel, and due the stem-twining habit of some species. However, morphologically Keraunea shares two apomorphies with monotypic Cortesia Cav., halophytic shrubs of Argentina: 1) two parted endocarps (the fruit contains two endocarps each with two 1-seeded cells, while four 1-seeded endocarps are plesiomorphic in Ehretiaceae) and 2) a large bract that subtends the flower (absence of bracts is plesiomorphic in Ehretiaceae). A combined tree using four markers (ITS, trnL-F, rbcL and matK) places the three species of Keraunea sampled unambiguously in a clade with Ehretia + Cortesia + Halgania and monophyly for Keraunea is shown with high support. In an ITS tree Keraunea is sister to Cortesia with low support. We expand the generic description of Keraunea including the first account of the internal fruit structures and the seed, and present new data on the vegetative architecture including variation within the genus, some species being stem twiners while one species at least, is described as a scandent shrub. Keraunea lombardiana, previously included within K. brasiliensis, is formally described from Minas Gerais and Bahia as the third species of the genus and both these species are described. In all five species are recognised but two, known to us only from digital images, are not formally described because sufficiently detailed descriptions cannot be made. All five species are mapped, and provisional conservation assessments are recorded, of either Endangered or Critically Endangered. The state of Bahia, with three species, has the highest species diversity, mainly in dry forest. Three species appear confined to moist coastal forest, extending southwards from Bahia to the state of Rio de Janeiro. Keraunea remains incompletely known. Not one of the species has both anthetic flowers and fruits described. Studies on pollen, germination, anatomy, embryology and phytochemisty are entirely lacking. Field observations of pollination, seed dispersal and phenology are also required. However, the most urgent requirement is undoubtedly a formal taxonomic revision based on a full herbarium search and targeted fieldwork, with full IUCN 2012 extinction risk assessments for each taxon. This is urgent because it seems that all the taxa that we present in this paper (and more that can be expected to be found) appear to be highly range restricted and generally not to occur in protected areas, and so appear to be highly threatened.

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“…We recommend that a management plan is developed to ensure the survival of this species and is implemented following the protocol of Couch et al . (2022).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2021), it is clear that these and the other Red Listed species of Guinea are highly threatened and should be included in action plans (e.g. Couch et al . 2022) and conservation programmes such as Important Plant Areas (Darbyshire et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gymnosiphon fonensis(Burmanniaceae) a new Critically Endangered species from Simandou, Republic of Guinea, W. Africa

Cheek¹,

Tchiengué

Thiam

et al. 2023

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A new species of Gymnosiphon Blume (Burmanniaceae), G.fonensis Cheek is formally described from the Foret Classee de Pic de Fon, Simandou Range, Guinea-Forestiere, Republic of Guinea (Guinea-Conakry) in West Africa. The new species was formerly confused with and resembles G. bekensis Letouzey of central Africa in the broad flat outer tepal lobes, perianth tube >10 mm long, and (sub)sessile flower. It differs e.g. in that the length of the corolla tube, (13-)14-18 mm, exceeds the corolla diameter (10-11 mm) (vs length of the corolla tube (12 mm) < the corolla diameter (12-15 mm)), the anthers inserted c. 4 mm deep in the corolla tube (vs inserted at the corolla mouth) and the rhizome lacks scale-leaves (vs scale leaves present). Gymnosiphon fonensis is the first known species of its genus and family in which secondary pollen presentation has been recorded. The species is known from five sites, all with threats, in a single threat-based location, accordingly it is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR B1ab(iii)) using the IUCN 2012 standard, making it the most threatened species of Gymnosiphon in continental Africa. The new species is illustrated by colour photos and line-drawings and is mapped. An identification key is provided to the ten species of the genus now known from Africa-Madagascar.

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Piloting development of species conservation action plans in Guinea

Cited by 14 publications

References 26 publications

Afrothismiaceae (Dioscoreales), a new fully mycoheterotrophic family endemic to tropical Africa

Afrothismiaceae (Dioscoreales), a new fully mycoheterotrophic family endemic to tropical Africa

New to Ehretiaceae:Keraunea. Re-evaluation of a genus of climbers from Brazil

Gymnosiphon fonensis(Burmanniaceae) a new Critically Endangered species from Simandou, Republic of Guinea, W. Africa

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