The endemic plant species of Ebo Forest, Littoral Region, Cameroon with a new Critically Endangered cloud forest shrub,Memecylon ebo(Melastomataceae-Olisbeoideae)

Abstract

SummaryWe emphasise the urgent need to conserve the Ebo forest (Littoral Region, Cameroon), which holds 10 strict endemic plant species and 15 near endemics for a total of 25, a very high number far exceeding the threshold for its recent status as an Important Plant Area (IPA). We describe a further strict endemic species from the Ebo Forest,Memecylon ebosp. nov. (Melastomataceae-Olisbeoideae) placed in sect.Afzelianadue to its ellipsoid blue-green fruits. The yellow petals and jade green anther-connectives ofM. eboare unique in the genusMemecylonas a whole, among its >400 species ranging overall from Africa to the western Pacific.Memecylon ebois assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) using the 2012 IUCN standard due to the small range size and the extremely high and ongoing threats of logging at Ebo, and also due to subsequent threats of potential oil palm plantation and mining projects. With the addition ofMemecylon ebo, the tally of Critically Endangered plant species recorded from Ebo forest is now the highest of any IPA in Cameroon, equalling that of, Ngovayang with 24 CR species.

Keetia nodulosa sp. nov. (Rubiaceae - Vanguerieae) of West-Central Africa: bacterial leaf nodulation discovered in a fourth genus and tribe of Rubiaceae

“…Within Africa, Cameroon remains a major source of discovery for new species to science of vascular plants, with more species new to science published per annum than any other country in tropical Africa (Cheek et al 2020a). Recent novelties range from forest trees (Quintanar et al 2023;Cheek et al 2022a;, shrubs and small trees (Couvreur et al 2022;Gosline et al 2022;Stone et al 2023;Cheek et al 2023b), lianas (Jongkind and Lachenaud 2022), rheophytes (Cheek et al 2022b), terrestrial herbs , to epilithic herbs (Janssens et al 2022;Cheek et al 2023c) and ferns (Shang and Zhang 2023;Dubuisson et al 2022).…”

Keetia korupensis sp. nov. (Rubiaceae - Vanguerieae) a threatened lowland evergreen forest climber and the endemic plant species of Korup National Park, SW Region, Cameroon

“…New species to science are continually being described from Cameroon, mainly from the surviving species-diverse forests of the coastal plains and Cameroon Highlands. Among the most recent discoveries are new species of Voacanga (Apocynaceae, Lachenaud et al 2024;Jongkind & Lachenaud 2022), Drypetes ( Putranjivaceae, Quintanar et al 2023), Didymochlaena (Didymochlaenaceae, Shang & Zhang 2023), Memecylon (Melastomataceae, Stone et al 2023), Monanthotaxis and Uvariopsis (Annonaceae, Cheek et al 2023a;Gosline et al 2022), Impatiens (Balsaminaceae, Janssens et al 2022;Cheek et al 2023b) and Microcos (Malvaceae-Grewioideae/Grewiaceae; Cheek et al 2023c).…”

“…2024; Jongkind & Lachenaud 2022), Drypetes ( Putranjivaceae, Quintanar et al . 2023), Didymochlaena (Didymochlaenaceae, Shang & Zhang 2023), Memecylon (Melastomataceae, Stone et al . 2023), Monanthotaxis and Uvariopsis (Annonaceae, Cheek et al .…”