RARE AND ENDEMIC VASCULAR PLANTS OF THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS, SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC-OCEAN - A CONSERVATION APPRAISAL

The endemic and threatened plants of the Pitcairn Islands (Pitcairn, H enderson, Oeno, Ducie) are listed and their conservation status assess ed The volcanic Pitcairn and the raised atoll Henderson are the most f loristically rich of the islands, and each has a number of endemic tax a. Over half of the native Pitcairn flora is either threatened or insu fficiently known (but likely to be threatened), the main threats being removal of native vegetation cover and the invasion of exotic taxa, p articularly Syzygium jambos. A detailed survey of the Pitcairn flora i s urgently needed to determine fully the status, likely threats, and m easures required to conserve the native flora. Ex situ conservation of the endangered Pitcairn taxa and protection of suitable remaining hab itats are the most urgent conservation requirements in the whole of th e island group. Less than 20% of the Henderson taxa are threatened and only two of the endemic taxa (Myrsine hosakae and Santalum insulare v ar. hendersonensis) are considered threatened Threatened taxa on Hende rson are mostly species which occur very locally on the island or in s mall populations; they include several very widespread species. Oeno a nd Ducie are atolls with depauperate floras, Oeno contains three threa tened taxa, one of which may be a recent colonist, and another may be extinct. We recommend an immediate floristic survey of Pitcairn, the e stablishment of a Conservation Officer and the implementation of a sus tainable development and conservation policy for the island.