The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T37855A10082104
Trochetiopsis ebenus, Dwarf ebony
Assessment by: Cairns-Wicks, R.
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Cairns-Wicks, R. 2003. Trochetiopsis ebenus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
2003: e.T37855A10082104. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2003.RLTS.T37855A10082104.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Malvales
Sterculiaceae
Taxon Name: Trochetiopsis ebenus Cronk
Synonym(s):
• Melhania melanoxylon sensu Melliss non R. Br. in Ait.
• Trochetiopsis melanoxylon (R. Br. in Ait.) Marais non Cronk
Common Name(s):
• English:
Dwarf ebony, Ebony, St Helena Ebony
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Critically Endangered D ver 3.1
Year Published:
2003
Date Assessed:
April 30, 2003
Annotations:
Needs Updating
Justification:
Trochetiopsis ebenus populations declined sharply in the eighteenth century, principally because of
overgrazing by goats, and was thought at one time to be extinct. In 1980, two low shrubs were
discovered near the Asses Ears.
Previously Published Red List Assessments
1998 – Critically Endangered (CR)
Geographic Range
Range Description:
Once distributed commonly in dry places between 200 and 500 m, especially in northern and western
parts of the island. The populations declined sharply in the eighteenth century, principally because of
goat grazing, and was thought at one time to be extinct. In 1980, two low shrubs were discovered near
the Asses Ears. The genus is made up of just three species endemic to St Helena, two of which are
extinct in the wild.
Country Occurrence:
Native: Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Trochetiopsis ebenus – published in 2003.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2003.RLTS.T37855A10082104.en
1
Habitat and Ecology
Formerly a small tree up to 4-5 m., now a low shrub. The only individuals of T. ebenus known to exist in
the wild were discovered on a cliff.
Systems: Terrestrial
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
All existing material in cultivation is derived from two individuals, inbreeding inevitable and potential
inbreeding depression. Current plantings dominated by one clone and planted with hybrid supporting
problems associated with inbreeding or introgression. The ebony has not yet been properly secured in
an ex-situ gene bank where it is isolated from the hybrid.
This species was previously burnt in limekilns to produce mortar. The wood was also used in 19th
century for turnery and ornament making and was introduced to British gardens around 1800.
Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)
Cuttings were collected from the upper plant on the cliff in 1980 which rooted readily. Approximately
4,000 plants were propagated between 1980 and 1992 and planted out on the island. Planting has been
carried out at Pounceys, High Peak Ebony Plain, Casons, Scotland, the Jamestown Public Gardens, and in
many other private gardens.
The Draft Recovery Action Plan for T. ebenus has set out a number of objectives in order to encourage
the long-term persistence of the Ebony through coordinated and agreed action between the members
of the ANRD, the SNCG and the Species Recovery Group. The specific objectives are:
1. To carry out a programme of propagation and seed collection.
2. To maintain and expand the established gene banks, at Whites Cottage – Norman Williams Nature
Reserve, Pounceys and Scotland and establish a new field gene bank at the Millennium Forest.
3. To maintain ex-situ stocks at RBG Kew and Eden Project and establish long-term seed storage at
Wakehurst Place Seed Bank.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Cairns-Wicks, R.
Reviewer(s):
Cronk, Q. & Clubbe, C. (South Atlantic Island Plants Red List Authority)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Trochetiopsis ebenus – published in 2003.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2003.RLTS.T37855A10082104.en
2
Bibliography
Cairns-Wicks, R. Draft Recovery Action Plan for Trochetiopsis ebenus (Sterculiaceae).
Cronk, Q.C.B. 2000. The Endemic Flora of St. Helena. Anthony Nelson Publishers, Oswestry, UK.
IUCN. 2003. 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 18
November 2003.
Oldfield, S., Lusty, C. and MacKinven, A. (compilers). 1998. The World List of Threatened Trees. World
Conservation Press, Cambridge, UK.
Citation
Cairns-Wicks, R. 2003. Trochetiopsis ebenus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2003:
e.T37855A10082104. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2003.RLTS.T37855A10082104.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.3. Livestock farming
& ranching -> 2.3.4. Scale Unknown/Unrecorded
Ongoing
-
-
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Past,
unlikely to
return
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
2. Species Stresses -> 2.2. Species disturbance
Past,
unlikely to
return
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
5. Biological resource use -> 5.3. Logging & wood
harvesting -> 5.3.1. Intentional use:
(subsistence/small scale)
5. Biological resource use -> 5.3. Logging & wood
harvesting -> 5.3.5. Motivation
Unknown/Unrecorded
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Trochetiopsis ebenus – published in 2003.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2003.RLTS.T37855A10082104.en
-
-
-
-
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Appendix
Conservation Actions in Place
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions in Place
In-Place Species Management
Subject to ex-situ conservation: Yes
Conservation Actions Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions Needed
3. Species management -> 3.4. Ex-situ conservation -> 3.4.2. Genome resource bank
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Trochetiopsis ebenus – published in 2003.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2003.RLTS.T37855A10082104.en
4
The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™