Syzygium sarmentosum is an endemic shrub from New Caledonia restricted to the north west of Grande Terre. It is found in forest galeries on ultramafic and calcareous substrate up to 132 m asl. The main threats identified are invasive species (Rusa deer, Rusa timorensis), bushfires and potential impact from the mining activities causing a degradation of its habitat quality. Its extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) are 90 and 20 km², respectively, with an estimation of 3 locations. The population size is unknown but field observations indicate a species locally abundant. Therefore, S. sarmentosum is listed as Endangered (EN) under criteria B1ab(ii,iii,v)+B2ab(ii,iii,v).

Geographical area

S. sarmentosum is endemic of New Caledonia where it is only known from Koumac in the north west of Grande Terre. It is known from 3 subpopulations: Mt. Kokondo, Ruisseau des Gaïacs and Babouillat.

Population

Population size is unknown but field observations indicate a species locally abundant.

Habitat

S. sarmentosum occurs in forest galeries on ultramafic and calcareous substrates up to 132 m asl.

Threats

The main threats identified are invasive species (Rusa deer, Rusa timorensis), bushfires and potential impact from the mining activities at Tiébaghi causing a degradation of its habitat quality.

Conservation

This species is not protected by legislation in New Caledonia and it does not occur in any protected area. This species should be included in the regional legislation for a better protection of the species and ex situ and in situ conservation efforts are urgently needed, in particular : ensuring the follow-up of the known sub-populations and preserving it on delimited perimeters. The local authority responsible for the coordination of the firefighting effort should be informed about the presence of the species in the concerned areas. And it is recommended to improve the knowledge of the species (prospections, more herbarium specimens, specie's ecology) to better estimated its distribution and its status

Bibliography

Morat, P.; Jaffré, T.; Tronchet, F.; Munzinger, J.; Pillon, Y.; Veillon, J.-M. and Chalopin, M. 2012. Le référentiel taxonomique Florical et les caractéristiques de la flore vasculaire indigène de la Nouvelle-Calédonie [The taxonomic database « FLORICAL » and characteristics of the indigenous flora of New Caledonia]. Adansonia sér 3(34) , p.177-219.

Endemia.nc 2016. Faune et Flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.

Dawson J.W. 1999. Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances. Volume 23 : Myrtaceae Myrtoideae 1 : Syzygium.

Experts

Assessor(s): Héquet, V., Vandrot, H., Barrabé, L., Amice, R., Butin, J., Cazé, H., Fleurot, D., Suprin, B., Chambrey, C., Laudereau, C., Haverkamp, C., Fogliani, B.

Reviewer(s): Gâteblé, G.

Facilitator(s): Warimavute, G., Meyer, S., Tanguy, V.