Podonephelium concolor is a tree occurring in dense humid forest on volcano-sedimentary substrate. It is restricted to the northeastern part of New Caledonia’s main island, Grande Terre, on an altitudinal range 200-600m. The threats to Podonephelium concolor are likely to be linked to habitat degradation due to Rusa Deer and uncontrolled fires. The population size reduction cannot be assessed because of a lack of data. Its area of occupancy and extent of occurrence are respectively 48 km² and 1,427 km². The number of locations, based on habitat degradation as the main threat, is estimated to be 13. A continuing decline of the quality of habitat is projected. Using criteria B, P. concolor qualifies for Near Threatened close to VU B1ab(iii)&2ab(iii). Population size of mature individuals is unknown.

Geographical area

Podonephelium concolor is an endemic small tree which occurs in the northeastern part of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre.

Population

Population size is unknown.

Habitat

It grows in dense evergreen humid forest on volcano-sedimentary soil, at elevations between 200-600 m.

Threats

The main threat identified is linked to habitat degradation and reduction due to various reasons (uncontrolled fires, Rusa Deer...). Rusa Deer (Rusa timorensis) was introduced in the 1880s and adapted extremely well to Caledonian habitats. Its population may have reached over 100,000 individuals in the wild. This rusa deer (Rusa timorensis) consumes a wide variety of plant species and causes severe damage to trees and very little chance of regeneration. Uncontrolled fires sweep across lowlands of New Caledonia each year, especially during the dry season (an average of 20,000 ha of land is burnt each year, with dramatic peaks of 70,000 ha).

Conservation

Podonephelium concolor occurs in two protected areas (Réserve de nature sauvage du mont Panié and Réserve de nature sauvage du massif de l'Aoupinié).

Bibliography

Morat, P.; Jaffré, T.; Tronchet, F.; Munzinger, J.; Pillon, Y.; Veillon, J.-M. and Chalopin, M. 2012. The taxonomic database « FLORICAL » and characteristics of the indigenous flora of New Caledonia. Adansonia(334) , p.177-219.

Munzinger J. et al. 2013. A Taxonomic Revision of the Endemic New Caledonian Genus Podonephelium Baill. (Sapindaceae). Systematic botany(38) , p.1105-1124.

Munzinger J., Morat Ph., Jaffré T., Gâteblé G., Pillon Y., Tronchet F., Veillon J.-M., & M. Chalopin 2016. FLORICAL: Checklist of the vascular indigenous flora of New Caledonia. vers. 22.IV.2016.

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

Experts

Assessor(s): Tanguy, V.

Reviewer(s): Schatz, G.

Contributor(s): Vandrot, H., Anquez, M., Gâteblé, G., Barrabé, L., Birnbaum, P., Lowry, P., Butin, J., Munzinger, J., Cazé, H., Fleurot, D., Isnard, S., Garnier, D., Amice, R.