Taxonomy
Planchonella microphylla
Common name :
Né
Synonyms
Pouteria microphylla (Pierre ex Dubard) BaehniRed List Status -
Near Threatened (NT) , assessed in 29/11/2019Protected species -
in Northern Province
Planchonella microphylla is an endemic shrub or tree of New Caledonia, where it has a wide, but scattered distribution on Grande Terre, as well as the Isle of Pines and the Bélep Islands. It grows in dense humid forest and shrubland on ultramafic or volcano-sedimentary substrate from 50 to 600 m asl. The main threats to this species are bushfires and mining activities on some localities. Its extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) are 13,958 and 116 km², respectively, and the number of locations is estimated to be higher than ten. Therefore, P. microphylla is listed as Near Threatened (NT), close to Vulnerable under criteria B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+B2ab(ii,iii,iv,v).
Geographical area
P. microphylla is endemic to New Caledonia, where it has a wide but scattered distribution across Grande Terre, from Goro to Tiébaghi, as well as the Isle of Pines and the Bélep Islands.
Population
Population size is unknown.
Habitat
This shrub or tree grows in dense humid forest and shrubland ('maquis') on ultramafic or volcano-sedimentary substrate from 50 to 600 m asl.
Threats
The main threat to this species is posed by bushfires on Bélep and the Isle of Pines, and mining activities at Tiébaghi. The Bélep locality could also be impacted by mining activities in the future.
Conservation
P. microphylla is protected by legislation in Province Nord, and it occurs in three protected areas: Chutes de la Madeleine natural reserve, as well as the Rivière Bleue and Grandes Fougères provincial parks. Prospection is recommended to better estimate the population size and conservation status of this inconspicuous species, which is suspected to be more widely distributed.
Bibliography
Aubréville A. 1967. Flore de la Nouvelle Calédonie et dépendances. Volume 01 : Sapotacées.
Endemia.nc 2016. Faune et Flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Munzinger J., Morat Ph., Jaffré T., Gâteblé G., Pillon Y., Rouhan G., Bruy, D., Veillon J.-M., & M. Chalopin 2020. FLORICAL: Checklist of the vascular indigenous flora of New Caledonia [continuously updated].
Experts
Assessor(s): Barrault, J., Bruy, D., Butin, J., Cazé, H., Fleurot, D., Garnier, D., Gâteblé, G., Laudereau, C., Mandaoué, L., Munzinger, J., Vandrot, H.
Reviewer(s): Swenson, U.
Facilitator(s): Meyer, S., Warimavute, G., Tanguy, V.