Tree Conservation Information Service
| Lovoa swynnertonii
Meliaceae Mukonguru Distribution This species occurs in Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire and Zimbabwe. Habitat It grows within wet evergreen forest. In Kenya, this species prefers sandy or loamy soils (FAO, 1986). In the Kwale district of Kenya this species is found in lowland forests dominated by Newtonia paucijuga, Milicia excelsa and Antiaris toxicaria and in the Meru district of Kenya it occurs in upland forest dominated by Newtonia buchanannii and Ocotea usambarensis (FAO, 1986). In Mozambique, this species is only known from the Garuso forests and in Zimbabwe is only known from the Chirinda forest where it is found on well-drained slopes of river banks (Flora Zambesiaca). Population Status and Trends L. swynnertonii is very sparsely distributed over its range and is only found in a few locations. It is not regenerating well (FAO, 1986). This species is at the edge of its range in Zimbabwe and is found in low densities in the Chirinda Forest (6km˛) where there are over 1000 individuals but no saplings (African Regional Workshop, 1996). Regeneration Seed is wind dispersed. Natural regeneration is reported to be poor (FAO, 1986). Role of Species in its Ecosystem No information. Threats This species is suffering from habitat loss. Excessive exploitation of the large seed-producing trees occurs and natural regeneration is poor. Plantations tend to be unsuccessful because of infestation by Hypsipyla (FAO, 1986). In Uganda the species is suffering from genetic erosion (Styles, in litt, 1991). Utilisation The timber is used for furniture production and has been used in Kenya for bridge construction. Trade No information. Conservation Status IUCN Category and Criteria: EN (A1c,d) (African Regional Workshop, 1996) This species' distribution has been greatly reduced, only a few trees remain in Zimbabwe and Mozambique (Styles, in litt, 1991). Bandeira (1996) considers this species to be Data Deficient (DD) under the new IUCN (1994) threat categories, due to lack of biological surveys in north Mozambique. L. swynnertonii is also rare in Tanzania and Uganda as it is at the fringe of its range (Styles, in litt., 1991). Styles (1991) felt that this species deserves endangered status. Conservation Measures This species is found in a few protected forest reserves such as the Rau Forest, Tanzania, the Chirinda Forest, Zimbabwe, and the Meru Forest, Kenya (FAO, 1986). In Mozambique, there are no conservation measures being taken (Bandeira, in litt., 1996). Regeneration work is urgently required (African Regional Workshop, 1996). References African Regional Workshop, 1996. Conservation and Sustainable Management of Trees project workshop held in Harare, Zimbabawe, July, 1996. Bandeira, S., 1996. Application of the new IUCN categories to trees of Mozambique for the WCMC Conservation and Sustainable Management of Trees Project. FAO, 1986. Databook on endangered tree and shrub species and provenances. FAO Forestry Paper 77:Rome. pp. 524. Flora Zambesiaca Styles, B.T., 1991. In Litt. Letter to Sara Oldfield. |
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