Taxonomy
Pleurostylia opposita
Synonyms
Celastrus opposita Wall. • Pleurostylia wightii Wight & Arn.
Elaeodendron microcarpum C.T.White & W.D.Francis
• Pleurostylia heynei Wight & Arn.
• Celastrus heynei Wight & Arn.
• Pleurostylia wightii var. neocaledonica Loes.
Red List Status -
Least Concern (LC) , assessed in 05/04/2018
Pleurostylia opposita is a native shrub or tree of New Caledonia with a large distribution in Grande Terre as well as in Belep islands and Ile des Pins. This species is found in dry forest and humid forest on ultramafic and volcano-sedimentary substrate, up ot 250 m asl. With an extent of occurrence (EOO) equal to 14,394 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 88 km², P. opposita is assessed as Least Concern (LC).
Geographical area
P. opposita is native to New Caledonia where it largelly distributed in Grande Terre as well as in Belep islands and Ile des Pins. This species is also distributed from India to Australia.
Population
Population size is unknown but field observations show it is a common and abundant species.
Habitat
P. opposita occurs in dry forest and humid forest on calcareous, ultramafic and volcano-sedimentary substrate, up ot 250 m asl.
Threats
This species does not seem to be threatened, although some subpopulations may be impacted by fires, Rusa deer (Rusa timorensis) and urbanisation.
Conservation
P. opposita is not protected by any legislation in New Caledonia but it occurs in one protected area: Ouen Toro.
Bibliography
Munzinger J., Morat Ph., Jaffré T., Gâteblé G., Pillon Y., Tronchet F., Veillon J.-M. and M. Chalopin 2016. FLORICAL: Checklist of the vascular indigenous flora of New Caledonia. vers. 22.IV.2016.
Morat, P. 1996. Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances. Volume 20 : Celastraceae, Loranthaceae, Alseuocmiaceae, Paracryphiaceae, Tiliaceae.
Endemia.nc 2016. Faune et Flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Experts
Assessor(s): Amice, R., Bruy, D., Butin, J., Cazé, H., Chambrey, C., Dumontet, V., Fleurot, D., Garnier, D., Gâteblé, G., Goxe, J., Hequet, V., Veillon, J.
Reviewer(s): Lannuzel, G.
Facilitator(s): Barrabé, L., Warimavute, G., Meyer, S.