How free access internet resources benefit
biodiversity and conservation research: Trinidad
and Tobago’s endemic plants and their
conservation status
V e e r l e V a n d e n E y n d e n , M i c h a e l P . O a t h a m and W i n s t o n J o h n s o n
Abstract Botanists have been urged to help assess the conservation status of all known plant species. For resourcepoor and biodiversity-rich countries such assessments are
scarce because of a lack of, and access to, information.
However, the wide range of biodiversity and geographical
resources that are now freely available on the internet,
together with local herbarium data, can provide sufficient
information to assess the conservation status of plants.
Such resources were used to review the vascular plant
species endemic to Trinidad and Tobago and to assess their
conservation status. Fifty-nine species were found to be
endemic, much lower than previously stated. Using the
IUCN Red List criteria 18 endemic species were assessed as
Critically Endangered, 16 as Endangered, 15 as Vulnerable,
three as Near Threatened, and three as Data Deficient (i.e.
insufficient data are available to assess their conservation
status). Although such rapid assessments cannot replace in
depth research, they provide essential baseline information
to target research and conservation priorities and identify
specific conservation actions.
Keywords Database, endemic species, endemism, island,
plant conservation, Trinidad and Tobago.
Introduction
I
n 2002 the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation called
for a preliminary assessment of the conservation status
of all known plant species by 2010 as one of its 16 targets
(Convention on Biological Diversity, 1993). To date the
conservation status of , 5% of the world’s plant species has
been assessed (Krupnick & Kress, 2006). Plant taxonomists
and herbaria have been urged to assist by using distribution
data from herbarium resources to assess threatened plant
species (Callmander et al., 2005). Herbarium data in combination with a geographical information system (GIS) can
be useful for assessments based on certain criteria, although
VEERLE VAN DEN EYNDEN (Corresponding author) and M ICHAEL P.
OATHAM Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, St.
Augustine, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago. E-mail veerle.eynden@sta.
uwi.edu
WINSTON JOHNSON National Herbarium of Trinidad and Tobago, University
of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Received 21 February 2007. Revision requested 8 June 2007.
Accepted 20 August 2007.
one must be aware of the possible limitations (Willis et al.,
2003).
Most European and North American countries have
their flora and its conservation status well-documented
through regularly updated Red Data lists (Strahm, 2003).
For tropical countries, which are much richer in biodiversity but poorer in economic resources, such assessments remain scarce. Some exceptions are the recent Red
Data lists of endemic plant species for Ecuador and Peru,
completed through collaborations between local and international taxonomists (Valencia et al., 2000; León et al.,
2006).
Access to and sharing of information, which are essential for plant conservation research (Gaikwad & Chavan,
2006), are often lacking. Developing countries can benefit
from free access and data sharing but are often unaware of
the range of resources available. With advances in information technology and data sharing being high on the
international research agenda (Arzberger et al., 2004;
Edwards, 2004), the amount of freely accessible international biodiversity data that can be used to achieve plant
conservation goals in developing countries is increasing.
The flora of Trinidad and Tobago, a 5,126 km2 Caribbean
twin island nation, is estimated to include 2,500 vascular
plant species (Kenny et al., 1997). Both islands lie on the
South American Continental Shelf. Tobago was separated
from the South American continent c. 13,000 years ago,
and Trinidad possibly only 1,500 years ago (Van der
Hammen, 1974; Rohr, 1991).
Although the country’s flora is well documented, there is
little information available on the conservation status of the
vascular plants (Environmental Management Authority,
2001). The 2007 IUCN Red Data List includes only seven
species from Trinidad and Tobago. Swietenia mahagoni is
categorized as Endangered, Bactris setulosa and Solanum
tobagense as Near Threatened, Ficus amazonica, Pradosia
grisebachii and Pterocarpus santalinoides as Least Concern
(this latter category indicates that the species have been
assessed and found not to be currently in any danger of
extinction), and Podocarpus trinitensis, which is endemic to
Trinidad, as Data Deficient (IUCN, 2007).
Conservation of endemic species is deemed a priority for
each country signatory to the Convention on Biological
Diversity. The number of endemic plants in a country
provides a good surrogate for the number of threatened
ª 2008 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 42(3), 400–407
doi:10.1017/S0030605308007321
Printed in the United Kingdom
Endemic plants of Trinidad and Tobago
plants of global importance (Pitman & Jørgensen, 2002) but
no accurate working list of endemic vascular plant species
exists for Trinidad and Tobago. In the Flora of Trinidad
and Tobago (Williams et al., 1928-1992) c. 160 plant species
are described as endemic. This excludes plant families not
incorporated in the Flora (Arecaceae, Podocarpaceae and
Poaceae). Adams & Baksh (1981) stated that 215 plant
species are endemic, without providing a species list. A list
compiled by consultants for an FAO report mentions 85
endemic plant species (MALMR, 1995) but contains inaccuracies. The 2001-2002 State of the Environment Report
(Agard & Gowrie, 2003) estimates that 91 plant species are
endemic, without providing species names.
Here we review which vascular plant species are endemic
to Trinidad and Tobago and assess their conservation status.
We do this in a way that is feasible and accessible for any
resource-poor nation by using free access internet resources
and local herbarium data. Based on this we describe specific
actions for conservation of the resulting list of endemic
species.
Methods
A base list of potentially endemic plant species was drawn
up from secondary sources (Williams et al., 1928-1992;
Sleumer, 1980; Panter, 1981; MALMR, 1995; Wasshausen,
1995; Wasshausen & McClellan, 1995). Geographical distribution, existing herbarium specimens, collection dates and
sites, taxonomic synonymy and possible name changes of
these species were reviewed using free access internet
electronic databases (Boggan et al., 1997; Royal Botanic
Gardens Kew, 2002; International Legume Database and
Information Service, 2005; Skog & Boggan, 2005-2006; The
Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew,
2006a, b; Missouri Botanical Garden, 2006; The New York
Botanical Garden, 2006). The same sources were also
consulted for potential additional endemic species. From
this review a species on the base list was either confirmed as
not endemic to Trinidad and Tobago or marked for further
verification.
For the latter group, additional collection localities for
each species were obtained from herbarium specimens held
in the Trinidad and Tobago National Herbarium (TRIN).
Taxonomists were located using the online search engine
Google (2006) and were asked by e-mail for advice and
information on species distribution, synonymy and endemism. Of 30 people contacted, 26 provided information.
The global conservation status of each species on our final
list of endemic plant species was assessed using the IUCN
Red List criteria v. 3.1 (IUCN, 2001). Assessments were based
primarily on geographic range in the form of extent of
occurrence (EOO) or area of occupancy (AOO), the number
of collection localities for a species (available from herbarium specimens), and observed, inferred or projected decline
ª 2008 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 42(3), 400–407
in EOO or AOO or habitat quality. EOO and AOO were
calculated following the methods of Willis et al. (2003), using
the GIS ArcView v. 3.2 (ESRI, Redlands, USA) and a freely
available GIS base map (Bletter et al., 2006) with coordinates generated from herbarium specimen collection
localities. The grid cell size used for AOO calculations was
based on the Kew algorithm (cell side 5 10% of the distance
between furthest collection localities; Willis et al., 2003).
Geographical co-ordinates of collection localities were generated using 1 : 25,000 topographic maps and GIS layers
derived from them. A vegetation formation GIS map layer
(World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 1996; only available for Trinidad), a GIS gazetteer layer of place names for
Trinidad and Tobago (United States Board on Geographic
Names, 2006) and a land use GIS layer (Ramlal, unpubl.
data) were also used. Uncertainty was inherent in the
generation of co-ordinates for localities given on linear
features (roads or rivers) but this uncertainty did not affect
the AOO or EOO so as to change the conservation status of
a species (assessed by calculating minimum and maximum
values for AOO and EOO).
Inferred or projected decline of a species was based on
existing land use patterns, occurrence in or absence from
protected areas and forest reserves, the management and
security of these areas (based on our personal knowledge),
and inferred climate change effects for species restricted
to high altitude habitats. Freely available GIS layers
of protected areas (World Database on Protected Areas,
2005) and land use (European Commission Joint Research
Centre, 2002) were also used.
This review and assessment required an approximate
input of 105 person hours: 60 hours species review and
database consultation, 10 hours herbarium consultation,
20 hours geo-referencing, 10 hours GIS analyses, and 5 hours
of conservation assessments.
Results
Starting from a base list of 222 potentially endemic plant
species, 158 (71%) were found not to be endemic and thus
eliminated after consulting internet resources containing detailed taxonomic and distributional information.
Through soliciting expert taxonomic opinion, another 16
species were found not to be endemic, 23 were positively
confirmed to be endemic and 3 species were added to the
base list. Further in depth revision of the internet sources
confirmed another 25 species as endemic. For eight species
no positive confirmation of endemism or non-endemism
could be obtained. Because they were considered to be
endemic at the time of publishing of the relevant Flora of
Trinidad and Tobago fascicle, they remain included in the
list of endemic species.
In total we thus found 59 vascular plant species to be
endemic to Trinidad and Tobago (Table 1): six occur on
401
402
ª 2008 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 42(3), 400–407
Species
Known from recent collections
Justicia flaviflora (Turrill) Wassh.
Odontonema brevipes Urb.
Duguetia tobagensis (Urb.) R. E. Fr.
Philodendron simmondsii Mayo
Aristolochia boosii Panter
Cynanchum freemani (N.E.Br.) Woodson
Begonia mariannensis Wassh. & McClellan
Werauhia broadwayi (L.B.Smith) J.R.Grant
Marthella trinitatis (Johow) Urb.
Maytenus monticola Sandwith
Clusia aripoensis Britton
Clusia intertexta Britton
Clusia tocuchensis Britton
Sicana trinitensis Cheesman
Rhynchospora ierensis C.Adams
Scleria orchardii C.Adams
Acalypha grisebachiana (Kuntze) Pax & Hoffm.
Phyllanthus acacioides Urb.
Besleria seitzii Krug & Urb.
Ocotea trinidadensis Kosterm.
Macrolobium trinitense Urb.
Phoradendron hartii Krug & Urb.
Marcgravia elegans Krug & Urb.
Cybianthus cruegeri Mez
Cybianthus pittieri Agostini
Eugenia cruegeri Krug & Urb. ex Urb.
Cochleanthes trinitatis (Ames) R.E. Schult. & Garay
Epidendrum hombersleyi Summerh.
Microchilus schultesianus (Garay) Ormerod
Podocarpus trinitensis Buchh. & Gray
Polygala exserta Blake
Securidaca lophosoma (Blake) Cheesman
Coccoloba nigrescens Lindau
Rondeletia hispidula (Griseb.) K. Schum.
Pilea tobagensis Urb.
Aegiphila obovata Andr.
Xyris grisebachii Malme
Family
Acanthaceae
Acanthaceae
Annonaceae
Araceae
Aristolochiaceae
Asclepiadaceae
Begoniaceae
Bromeliaceae
Burmanniaceae
Celastraceae
Clusiaceae
Clusiaceae
Clusiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Cyperaceae
Cyperaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Gesneriaceae
Lauraceae
Leguminosae
Loranthaceae
Marcgraviaceae
Myrsinaceae
Myrsinaceae
Myrtaceae
Orchidaceae
Orchidaceae
Orchidaceae
Podocarpaceae
Polygalaceae
Polygalaceae
Polygonaceae
Rubiaceae
Urticaceae
Verbenaceae
Xyridaceae
No. of
Red List
distinct
Year last category &
Trinidad Tobago locations1 collected criteria2
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
2
4
4
4
3
3
2
3
1
6
6
1
4
2
2
2
17
1
5
4
4
3
2
2
1
6
2
6
3
13
4
2
2
2
2
4
4
CR B1ab(iii)
VU D2
VU D2
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
VU D2
NT
CR B1ab(iii)
LC
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
LC
VU D2
VU D2
VU B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
VU D2
LC
EN B2ab(iii)
VU B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
LC
CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
VU D2
VU D2
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
VU D2
NT
CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
Occurrence
in protected
areas3
Conservation
actions4
H/E
MRFR
MRFR
LSFR, MFR, SFR
CFR, EFR
E/T
E/T
P/E/T
E/T
MRFR, NRFRB
NRFRB
H/E
MFREE, MRFR
DFR, MFREE, NRFRA, NRFRB H
H/E
MFREE, NRFRB
H
E/T
EFR
E/T
NRFRA
H/E
CFR, MEFR, NRFRB, VMFR
MRFR
MRFR
DFR, MFREE, NRFRA
MFREE, NRFRB
E/D/T
NRFRB
H/E
H/E
MRFR
DFR, CRFR, MFREE, MRFR
E/P
AFR, CRFR, LSFR
NRFRA, NRFRB
H/E
CRFR, MFRWE, NRFRB
LSFR
A/L/E
NRFRB
LTWS, MRFR
MRFR
LSFR
D/E
H/E
A/L/E
V. Van den Eynden et al.
TABLE 1 The 59 endemic plants of Trinidad and Tobago, with the number of distinct locations in which they are or were known, year last collected (if before 1958), Red List categorization
and criteria, occurrence in protected areas, and suggested actions required for their conservation.
ª 2008 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 42(3), 400–407
Known from single type collections pre-1958 or not collected since
Dicliptera aripoensis (Britton) Leonard
Acanthaceae
Justicia tobagensis (Urb.) Wassh.
Ácanthaceae
Gonolobus tobagensis Urb.
Asclepiadaceae
Mikania broadwayi B.L.Rob.
Asteraceae
Begonia eciliata Schulz.
Begoniaceae
Aechmea downsiana Pittendrigh
Bromeliaceae
Maytenus reflexa Urb.
Celastraceae
Dicranopygium insulare (Gleas.) Harl.
Cyclanthaceae
Rhynchospora aripoensis Britton
Cyperaceae
Rhynchospora ebracteata (Standl.) H.Pfeiff
Cyperaceae
Eriocaulon caesium Griseb.
Eriocaulaceae
Croton aripoensis Philcox
Euphorbiaceae
Phyllanthus mimicus Webster
Euphorbiaceae
Xylosma sanctae-annae Sleumer
Flacourtiaceae
Besleria strigillosa Urb.
Gesneriaceae
Epidendrum fusiforme (Lindl.) Rchb.
Orchidaceae
Epidendrum lanceolatum Bradford ex Griseb.
Orchidaceae
Maxillaria broadwayi (Cogn.) R.E. Schult.
Orchidaceae
Neurolepis virgata (Griseb.) Pilg.
Poaceae
Roupala tobagensis Sleumer
Proteaceae
Psychotria rufidula Standl.
Rubiaceae
Rondeletia rohrii R.O.Williams & Cheesman
Rubiaceae
1958
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
1
2
3
1
1
1
1
6
1
1
1
1
2
5
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1934
1954
1938
1922
Pre-1911
1958
1904
1937
1921
1937
1867
1934
1909
1927
1901
?
?
?
1948
1910
1929
1786-91
CR B1ab(iii)
VU D2
NT
CR B1ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)
DD
VU B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)
VU D2
CR B1ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
DD
VU B1ab(iii)+2abiii
CR B1ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)
CR B1ab(iii)
EN B1ab(iii)
DD
MRFR
MRFR
LSFR
AFR
NRFRB
VMFR
R/H/E
R
R
R/H/E
R/E/T
R/H/E
F
R
A/L/E
A/L/E
R/H/E
R/E/T
D/E
F
R
R/E/T
R/H/E
H/E
R/E/T
R/E/T
F
1
Based on herbarium records
CR, Critically Endangered; EN, Endangered; VU, Vulnerable; NT, Near Threatened; DD, Data Deficient; LC, Least Concern (LC indicates the species has been assessed and found not to be in danger of
extinction). See IUCN (2001) for details of criteria.
3
AFR, Arena Forest Reserve; CFR, Cedros Forest Reserve; CRFR, Central Range Forest Reserve; DFR, St David Forest Reserve (includes part of Matura Environmentally Sensitive Area); EFR, Erin Forest Reserve;
LSFR, Long Stretch Forest Reserve (includes Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve); LTWS, Little Tobago Wildlife Sanctuary; MFR, Melajo Forest Reserve; MFREE, Matura Forest Reserve Eastern Extension
(includes part of Matura Environmentally Sensitive Area); MFRWE, Matura Forest Reserve Western Extension; MEFR, Morne l’Enfer Forest Reserve; MRFR, Main Ridge Forest Reserve; NRFRA, Northern Range
Forest Reserve Section A; NRFRB, Northern Range Forest Reserve Section B; SFR, Siparia Forest Reserve; VMFR, Victoria-Mayaro Forest Reserve (see Fig. 1 for locations)
4
A, ensure effective protection for Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve (through government or communities); D, create dry forest protected area; E, ex situ conservation; F, find locality of Data Deficient species; H,
create Heights of Aripo protected area; L, survey for presence in Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve; P, create site-specific protected area; R, relocate species at original collection site; T, translocate to suitable
protected area.
2
Endemic plants of Trinidad and Tobago
403
404
V. Van den Eynden et al.
both islands; 12 are endemic to Tobago only and 39 to
Trinidad. For two species, known only from a single
collection, no locality information was recorded on the
specimen sheets. Twenty-two species are either known only
from their respective type collections that date from before
1958, or have not been collected since 1958 (Table 1). Only
extensive field research will determine whether these species
are still extant or whether they are simply rare. Various
species in the list have never been reviewed by taxonomists at
a regional level. They could be synonymous to plant species
found elsewhere but until such revisions prove otherwise,
these species should continue to be considered endemic. The
current number of known endemic plant species is thus
significantly lower than previously stated numbers, and
could be lower still, possibly as low as 40 species.
Plant endemism on Trinidad and Tobago was found to
be concentrated in three main localities (Fig. 1): ridge tops
of the Northern Range in Trinidad (18 species), edaphic
savannahs of northern Trinidad (6 species), and the Main
Ridge in Tobago (11 species). Of the 59 endemic plant
species, 18 were found to be Critically Endangered, 16
Endangered, 15 Vulnerable, three Near Threatened, and
four were assessed as species of Least Concern (Tables 1–2).
Three species were categorized as Data Deficient because
they could not be assessed from currently available data or
had vague collection locality data.
Discussion
Research institutes that use information technology to
catalogue and distribute information online promote the
advancement of knowledge at a global scale. Using such
free-access online resources, and advice offered freely by
taxonomy experts, a review of the endemic vascular plant
species of Trinidad and Tobago and an assessment of their
conservation status was carried out in a relatively short
time and without significant cost. This in turn has been
made freely available online (Van den Eynden, 2006). Such
rapid evaluation of conservation status cannot replace the
need for in depth field-based monitoring and assessment
but it provides valuable baseline information for the
identification and targeting of specific conservation and
research needs. The methods used can be applied by most
countries for initial assessments of plant extinction risks.
Lack of resources or research data is no longer an argument
not to do so.
FIG. 1 Geographical distribution of endemic plant species (see Table 1) in Trinidad (main map) and Tobago (inset), and the locations of
protected areas. F.R., Forest Reserve.
ª 2008 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 42(3), 400–407
Endemic plants of Trinidad and Tobago
TABLE 2 Conservation assessment of endemic vascular plant
species of Trinidad and Tobago, with total number of species in
each Red List category (IUCN, 2001) and number of species not
known to occur in existing protected areas.
Red List category
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Data Deficient
Total
No. of
species
18
16
15
3
4
3
59
No. of species
not found in
protected areas
12
6
5
0
0
23
Relying solely on herbarium data may under- or overestimate the conservation risk if collection data do not truly
represent species distribution. Herbarium data used in this
assessment span over a century, and locality data from older
collections may no longer represent a species’ range. However,
we balanced this uncertainty with our field knowledge of
localities. Herbarium collections in the country tend to be
biased towards areas accessible by road, forest areas and
protected areas, and relatively fewer collections exist for
Tobago. There may also be relative under-collection of small
herbaceous species compared to tree and shrub species. Both
factors may cause overestimation of extinction risk. Using the
range criterion almost exclusively may not take account of
species that are secure and with a naturally small range or
species in the process of going extinct because their habitat has
been destroyed or fragmented beyond a critical level.
This review shows that in Trinidad and Tobago , 3% of
all vascular plant species are endemic. Many species previously perceived as endemic were found not to be so.
Increased plant collecting in neighbouring continental
areas and taxonomic reviews at a regional level show many
species to be synonymous to those on the South American
mainland. The length of time Trinidad and Tobago have
been separated from the mainland is too short for island
endemism to have developed to the same extent as on an
oceanic island such as Jamaica (MacArthur, 1972). The true
number of endemics will probably be found to be lower still
when further regional taxonomic reviews are carried out.
Using current IUCN criteria 58% of the 59 endemic
species were categorized as Endangered or Critically
Endangered. These must be considered as priority species
for conservation, and further research of their population
status is urgently needed. The 22 species not collected for
several decades or known only from type collections are
priority species for assessment of distribution and population status, and urgently need to be relocated in their
respective locations. In addition, all species should be
surveyed for presence in protected areas and should be
inventoried in any environmental impact assessments.
ª 2008 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 42(3), 400–407
This review also provides information for policy makers
in terms of protected area management. The gazetted
protected area network of Trinidad and Tobago encompasses 56% of all endemic vascular plant species, with 23
species not represented in the network (Table 2, Fig. 1) and
60% of Critically Endangered and 38% of Endangered
species not safeguarded in protected areas. Six Critically
Endangered and six Endangered species would be protected
by a new protected area containing the Heights of Aripo on
Trinidad and two Endangered species require a protected
area of dry deciduous forest. In situ conservation may not
be appropriate for high altitude ridge top species under
threat from global climate change, and ex situ conservation
should be pursued as a precaution. Ten endemic species not
present in protected areas are likely to occur in them as they
are found in close proximity to or in habitats represented in
protected areas. However, many areas are only protected on
paper, especially protected areas near population centres.
Most Forest Reserves are used for selective timber extraction and some, such as the Central Range Forest Reserve,
have been largely converted to exotic timber plantations.
The protected areas critical for the conservation of
endemic plant species are the Main Ridge Forest Reserve,
the Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve, and the Northern
Range Forest Reserve (parts A, B and C). The Main Ridge
Forest Reserve in Tobago is considered to be relatively
secure from human and environmental change pressures at
present, although its small size makes it vulnerable to fire or
hurricane damage. The Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve
(part of Long Stretch Reserve) is the only protected natural
savannah habitat in Trinidad. It is, however, not adequately
protected and human development continues to encroach
on the area. Future plans to create a major population
centre on the boundaries of the reserve increase the threat
of degradation and conversion to residential land use. The
fact that it harbours six endemic plants restricted to this
habitat indicates the urgent need to protect this area
effectively. In the Northern Range Forest Reserve the
potential impacts of climate change on ridge top vegetation
communities is a cause of concern for endemics restricted
to this habitat. This reserve is open to extractive use of
timber, game animals, non-timber forest products and,
potentially, limestone quarrying. The Northern Range
Forest Reserve and the recently declared Matura National
Park Environmentally Sensitive Area (part of Matura
Forest Reserve Eastern Extension and St David Forest
Reserve) are the only protected areas for the Northern
Range’s ridges, containing 15 endemic species. A recent
vegetation survey in Matura National Park recorded only
seven of the Northern Range endemic species within the
Park’s boundaries (Van den Eynden et al., 2007). The
Heights of Aripo, where 12 endemic species were collected
in the Northern Range, is currently not protected, indicating the urgent need to do so.
405
406
V. Van den Eynden et al.
All conservation assessments with detailed supporting
evidence are being submitted to IUCN for inclusion in the
IUCN Red List. Since this work was completed the Aripo
Savannah Scientific Reserve has been declared an Environmentally Sensitive Area, the highest level of protected area
status currently existing in the country. Funds have been
provided by the government to investigate the status of
endemic plants found in the reserve. An extensive botanical
survey to monitor habitat and species distribution by
Oxford University, UK, and the National Herbarium of
Trinidad and Tobago, funded under the UK Darwin
Initiative, will be completed in 2008 and should provide
details of more localities of endemic plant species to update
the list presented here.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the following (with herbaria abbreviations) for providing valuable information: Frank Almeda,
CAS (Melastomataceae), Tom Croat, MO (Araceae), Garrett Crow, NHA (Lentibulariaceae), Tom Daniel, CAS
(Acanthaceae), Stefan Dressler, FR (Marcgraviaceae), Barry
Hammel, MO (Clusiaceae), Kehan Harman, K (Poaceae),
Walter Holmes, BAYLU (Asteraceae), Sandra Knapp, BM
(Solanaceae), Robert Kral, VDB (Xyridaceae), Alexander
Krings, NCSC (Asclepiadaceae), Job Kuijt, UVIC (Loranthaceae), Gwilym Lewis, K (Leguminosae), Raphael Lira,
UNAM (Cucurbitaceae), Eve Lucas, K (Myrtaceae), Harry
Luther, SEL (Bromeliaceae), Paul Maas, U (Annonaceae,
Burmanniaceae), Robert Mill, E (Podocarpaceae), Francisco
Morales, INB (Apocynaceae), John Pipoly, FTG (Myrsinaceae), Ghillean Prance (Proteaceae), Elmar Robbrecht, BR
(Rubiaceae), Mark Simmons, CS (Celastraceae), Laurence
Skog, US (Gesneriaceae), Charlotte Taylor, MO (Rubiaceae),
Thomas Wayt, NY (Cyperaceae), and the Trinidad and
Tobago Orchid Society. We thank the National Herbarium
of Trinidad and Tobago for access to their plant collection
and the many, often anonymous, people that have produced
the extensive free online resources consulted in this study.
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Biographical sketches
V E E R L E V A N D E N E Y N D E N specializes in how local people use and
manage plants and the environment. She has carried out research on
plant-people interactions in Africa and South America since 1991.
M I C H A E L O A T H A M ’ S research interests include plant conservation,
biogeography and management of tropical forests. W I N S T O N J O H N S O N
has worked at the National Herbarium of Trinidad and Tobago since
1981 and is an authority on the flora of Trinidad and Tobago.
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