National Collection of Imperiled Plants

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Photographer:

Meghan Fellows

Search Alphabetical List Reference Finder CPC Home

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Stahlia monosperma

Family:	Fabaceae
Common Name:	Cobana Negra
Author:	(Tul.) Urban
Growth Habit:	Tree
CPC Number:	4087

Distribution
Protection
Conservation
References

Profile Links

ITIS
Tropicos
PLANTS
Fish & WildLife

enlarge

Photographer: Meghan Fellows

enlarge

Photographer: Brian Dunphy

Stahlia monosperma is Not Sponsored

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

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Stahlia monosperma

Stahlia monosperma is a medium-sized evergreen tree endemic to Puerto Rico and Hispaniola (USFWS 1996). This tree can grow up to 50 feet in height and can be found in seasonally flooded wetlands in association with mangrove communities (USFWS 1996). Cobana negra produces an abundance of clustered-yellow flowers that give way to fleshy red fruits that smell like ripe apples (USFWS 1996). Possible native seed dispersers include fruit-eating bats and land crabs that may take fruit into their burrows (USFWS 1996).

Distribution & Occurrence

Top

State Range

Puerto Rico

Habitat

S. monosperma grows in brackish, seasonally flooded wetlands in association with mangrove communities (USFWS 1996). They are usually found close to black mangrove but are restricted to drier, elevated microsites that are absent of mangrove species (USFWS 1996).

Distribution

Scattered populations can be found in Puerto Rico, Vieques and the eastern portion of the Dominican Republic (USFWS 1996).

Number Left

The largest population (55 individuals) is known from southwestern Puerto Rico, about 50 individuals were found in vieques and several in Rio Grande (USFWS 1996). The current status of these populations is, however, unknown.

Protection

Top

Global Rank:	G1G3	1/1/1983	Guide to Global Ranks
Federal Status:	LT	2/4/1998	Guide to Federal Status
Recovery Plan:	Yes	11/1/1996

State/Area Protection

	State/Area	Rank	Status	Date

Conservation, Ecology & Research

Top

Ecological Relationships

Ecological relationships include possible mutalistic dispersal partners such as fruit-eating bats and crabs (USFWS 1996).

Threats

Coastal development is the greatest threat. Lands surrounding the mangrove areas have been converted to ranches subjecting some remaining S. monosperma populations to cattle grazing (USFWS 1996). S. monosperma was previously harvested for fence posts which may have greatly reduced population size (USFWS 1996).

Current Research Summary

Brian Dunphy, a doctoral student at the University of Georgia, studied the genetic diversity of this species using allozymes. No genetic diversity was found at any of the 24 studied loci. Biologists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, point to the fact that the species has been nearly eliminated from Puerto Rico. Restoration has been carried out, but the seeds used for this may have come from only a few trees, accentuating a genetic bottleneck and reduced genetic variation in this species. A genomic library was constructed for this species in the spring of 1999, but was never screened for microsatellite loci. (Dunphy Pers. Comm. 2002)

Current Management Summary

The Puerto Rican Department of Natural Resources is successfully propagating and planting this species (USFWS 1990).

Research Management Needs

� Cattle exclosures would greatly aid in conservation efforts, because S. monosperma reproduces successfully when protected from grazing (USFWS 1996). Other management needs include protecting remaining habitat sites, enforcing endangered species regulations and monitoring populations (USFWS 1996).
� Research needs include refining propagation methods, enhance existing populations and establish new ones, study reproductive biology and ecology, identification of pollinators and seed dispersers, germination and seedling requirements, seedling recruitment and population genetics (USFWS 1996).

Ex Situ Needs

Location of all known trees, and incorporation of new genetic material into conservation and restoration efforts may be beneficial.

References

Top

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.

Journal Articles

Mejia, M.; Garcia, R.; Jimenez, F. 1997. Notes on the flora of Espanola Island: Part V. Moscosoa. 9, 0: 69-83.

USFWS. 1990. Determination of Threatened Status for Stahlia monpsperma (Cobana Negra). Federal Register. 55: 1279O-12792.

Vazquez, O.J.; Kolterman, D.A. 1998. Floristic composition and vegetation types of the Punta Guaniquilla Natural Reserve-Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Caribbean Journal of Science. 34, 3-4: 265-279.

Zanoni, T.A.; Mejia-P, M.M. 1989. Notes on the vascular flora of the island of Hispaniola, Dominican Republic and Haiti III. Moscosoa. 5: 85-115.

Personal Communications

Dunphy, B. 2002. Email--Information on the genetics of Stahlia monosperma (doctoral research while at the University of Georgia). To Tietmeyer, Andrea.

Reports

1988. Status Information on Stahlia monosperma in Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands. San Juan, Puerto Rico: Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program.

Densmore, R. 1987. Status Report on Stahlia monosperma (Cobana Negra) in Southwestern Puerto Rico. Boqueron, Puerto Rico: Unpublished Report Submitted to the Caribbean Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

USFWS. 1996. Stahlia monosperma (Cobana negra) Recovery Plan. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Southeast Region. p.9.

Search Other National Collection Profiles

This profile was updated on 3/4/2010