National Collection of Imperiled Plants

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Photographer:

Lippincott

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CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Goetzea elegans

Family:	Solanaceae
Common Names:	beautiful goetzea, Mata Buey
Author:	Wydler
Growth Habit:	Tree
CPC Number:	2041

Distribution
Protection
Conservation
References

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Photographer: Lippincott

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Photographer: Meghan Fellows

Goetzea elegans is Not Sponsored

Primary custodian for this plant in the CPC National Collection of Endangered Plants is:

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Goetzea elegans

Beautiful trumpet shaped orange flowers are the crowning glory of Goetzea elegans, an evergreen shrubby tree that can grow up to 9 meters in height (USFWS 1990). Until recently, flowers had not been observed on any plants of this species since 1936 (USFWS 1984). This species is only found in the semi-evergreen forests in northern Puerto Rico (USFWS 1985). It was first collected in 1827 by Heinrich Wylder and named in honor of the German theologian J.E. Goetze (USFWS 1985). Today, fewer than fifty individuals remain (USFWS 1986).

Distribution & Occurrence

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State Range

Puerto Rico

Habitat

Goetzea elegans grows in the limestone forest of northern Puerto Rico at elevations below 200 meters (USFWS 1986). The original collected individual was found growing along a hedge consisting of mostly bromeliads (USFWS 1985).

Distribution

Goetzea elegans is endemic to the semi-evergreen forests of northern Puerto Rico.

Number Left

The three remaining sites support less than 50 individuals (USFWS 1986).

Protection

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Global Rank:	G1	9/10/1984	Guide to Global Ranks
Federal Status:	LE	10/24/1996	Guide to Federal Status
Recovery Plan:	Yes	4/28/1987

State/Area Protection

State/Area	Rank	Status	Date

Conservation, Ecology & Research

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Ecological Relationships

Ecological relationships are unknown.

Threats

Deforestation was the primary historical threat, however, general habitat degradation, grazing and urbanization continue to be of concern to the species survival. Routine road maintenance causes a serious disturbance and results in stunted growth and a reduction in flower and fruit production (USFWS 1984).

Current Research Summary

Propagation efforts at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez campus have been successful (USFWS 1990).
Duane Kolterman at the University of Puerto Rico has proposed studying this species. (Kolterman 1989)

Current Management Summary

Goetzea elegans was listed as endangered in June of 1984 (USFWS).

Research Management Needs

Individuals on private land and road sides need to be protected. Research needs include understanding habitat requirements, reproductive biology and ecology.

Ex Situ Needs

References

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Books (Single Authors)

Little, E.L., Jr.; Woodbury, R.O.; Wadsworth, F.H. 1974. Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands: Agriculture Handbook No. 449. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

Electronic Sources

USFWS. (1990). Endangered and Threatened Species Accounts. [Web page] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Endangered Species. http://ecos.fws.gov/servlet/TESSSpeciesQuery. Accessed: 2002.

USGS. (2002). Status of Listed Species and Recovery Plan Development. [Web site] USGS: Norther Prairie Wildlife Research Center. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/others/recoprog/plant.htm. Accessed: 2002.

Journal Articles

Densmore, D. 1986. Endangered Plants of our Caribbean Islands: A Unique Flora Faces Unique Problems. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 11, 3: 3-4.

Lippincott, C. 1990. Rare Plant Conservation. Fairchild Tropical Garden Bulletin. 6-15.

Silander, S.R. 1998. Biodiversity in Puerto Rico. Endangered Species Bulletin. 23, 6: 20-21.

USFWS. 1984. Four Plants Proposed for Listing. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 9, 7: 1, 4-5.

USFWS. 1984. Proposed Endangered Status for Goetzea elegans (Beautiful Goetzea). Federal Register. 49, 118: 24903-24906.

USFWS. 1985. Final Rule to Determine Goetzea elegans (Beautiful Goetzea) as an Endangered Species. Federal Register. 50, 76: 15564-15567.

USFWS. 1985. Four Plants Given Endangered Species Act Protection. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 10, 5: 1, 10.

Wydler, H. 1830. Plantarum quarundam descriptiones. Linnaea. 5: 423-425.

Reports

Kolterman, D.A. 1989. Proposal for the study of Goetzea elegans. Biology Department of the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus. p.4.

Vivaldi, J.L.; Woodbury, R.O.; Diaz-Soltero, H. 1981. Goetzea elegans Wydler. Mayaguez, Puerto Rico: Staus report submitted to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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This profile was updated on 3/4/2010