Taxonomy
Plerandra plerandroides
Red List Status -
Least Concern (LC) , assessed in 20/02/2015
Plerandra plerandroides is an endemic tree of New Caledonia which is widespread on the northern half of Grande Terre in the Chaîne Centrale from La Foa to Pouébo.With an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 4,410 km², an area of occupancy (AOO) of 207 km², and 16 known subpopulations, some of which occur within a protected area, Plerandra plerandroides is assigned a status of Least Concern (LC)
Geographical area
Plerandra plerandroides is an endemic tree of New Caledonia which is widespread on the northern half of Grande Terre in the Chaîne Centrale from La Foa to Pouebo.
Population
Population size is unknown.
Habitat
Plerandra plerandroides occurs in dense humid forest at an altitudinal range of 100-1600 m.
Threats
Plerandra plerandroides is not directly threatened. However, its habitat may face two main threats. One comes from Rusa Deer (Rusa timorensis), which 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 regeneration. The other one is linked to uncontrolled fires which 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
Plerandra plerandroides occurs in protected areas (réserve de nature sauvage du Mont Panié, réserve de nature sauvage du massif de l'Aoupinié). Dense humid forests are a patrimonial ecosystem protected by the Code de l'Environnement of Province Sud.
Bibliography
Lowry, P. P. II; G. M. Plunkett; D. G. Frodin; C. Rodrigues Vaz; M. Gostel and A. N. Nicolas 2016. Revision of Plerandra A. Gray (Araliaceae). III. A taxonomic treatment of Plerandra subg. Dizygotheca..
Experts
Assessor(s): Tanguy, V.
Reviewer(s): Schatz, G.
Contributor(s): Lowry, P., Isnard, S., McCoy, S., Cazé, H., Wulff, A.