Global and Regional IUCN Red List Assessments: 4

In this contribution, the conservation status assessments of three vascular plants are presented following to IUCN categories and criteria. It includes the assessment at global level of Saxifraga caprariae Mannocci, Ferretti, Mazzoncini & Viciani and S. montis-christi Mannocci, Ferretti, Mazzoncini & Viciani and the regional assessment of Halocnemum cruciatum (Forssk.) Tod. (Spain).


How to contribute
The text of the global and regional assessment should be submitted electronically to Simone Orsenigo (simone.orsenigo@unimi.it) or to Giuseppe Fenu (gfenu@unica.it); text up to 8000 characters in length (space included) must include a distribution map and a picture of the assessed species.

Common name: Sassifraga di Capraia (It); Saxifrage of Capraia (En).
Geographic distribution range: S. caprariae ( Fig. 1) is endemic to Capraia, a small island in the Tuscan Archipelago, Italy ( Fig. 2; Mannocci et al. 2016). The species was found in three separate sites: "Fondo" Spring, below "Sella dell'Acciatore"; upper northern part of "Vado della Peraiola", below "gli Stagnoli" near "Fosso del Calacone"; and on the northern slopes of Mt. Pontica, towards "Vado della Fenicia". In the Herbariun Centrale Italicum (FI) there are herbarium specimens collected in 1896 from Mt. Castello, another site on the island. Saxifraga caprariae appears to be not confirmed at Mt. Castello, since repeated field surveys have failed to find it, however it is possible that this subpopulation persists.
Distribution: Country of occurrence: Italy Biology: Plant growth form: perennial (hemicryptophyte) Flowering time: Early spring (March to April) Reproduction: No information on pollination, dispersal strategy and seed germination is available.
Habitat and Ecology: Saxifraga caprariae grows on volcanic rocks, on cliffs mainly exposed northwards between 250 and 350 m a.s.l. Soil is often thin, scarce or almost nonexistent, with a vegetation mainly consisting of mosses, lichens and small ferns (Mannocci et al. 2016), belonging to the alliance Linarion caprariae Foggi et al. 2006 (Habitat Directive: 8220 "Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation").
Population information: A rough count in the three subpopulations on Capraia in 2015 gave totals of around 400 mature plants, however the number of individuals could be underestimated, because the areas where the individuals grow are not easily accessible and the species was only recently described. There is no detailed information available on population dynamics and trends.  EOO: 4 km 2 calculated with minimum convex hull in QGis 2.14 AOO: 4 km 2 calculated with a 2 × 2 km cell fixed grid a) The only plausible threat could be the sporadic events of exceptional rainfalls (more and more frequent due to climate change) causing floods and landslides with possible impacts on the subpopulations. Something similar could explain the reason why the species was not confirmed in the historical site of Mt. Castello. b) The threat of sporadic heavy rainfall is not sufficient to expect a decline in AOO (ii), number of subpopulations (iv) or number of mature individuals (v).

Criterion D:
Number of mature individuals: < 1000

Red List category and Criteria (Global Assessment) VU Vulnerable D1
Rationale for the assessment: Saxifraga caprariae is an Italian endemic found only on Capraia Island. It occurs in three small sites on rocky volcanic cliffs. Although it has a restricted AOO and EOO, this plant is relatively well protected. The population comprises fewer than 1000 mature individuals. Based on the population size the species qualifies for listing as Vulnerable D1.
Conservation actions: Saxifraga caprariae is not protected at regional, national or international level, due to the fact it was recently described (Mannocci et al. 2016). All the sites are included in the Capraia Island SAC (IT5160006 "Isola di Capraia"), which is also part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park.
Conservation actions needed: further monitoring and research are recommended in order to better understand the population trends of the species.  Mannocci et al. 2016), where it is known from two sites, "Collo dei Lecci" Valley and "Collo di Fondo" Valley. In the Herbariun Centrale Italicum (FI) there are specimens collected in 1965 from another site on the island, between "Convento" and "Monte della Fortezza". Recent field surveys have failed to find the species in the latter site, but we cannot exclude the possibility that it may persist there.

Daniele Viciani, Giulio Ferretti, Matilde Gennai
Distribution: Country of occurrence: Italy Biology: Plant growth form: perennial (hemicryptophyte) Flowering time: Early spring (March to April) Reproduction: No information on pollination, dispersal strategy and seed germination is available.
Habitat and ecology: Saxifraga montis-christi grows on acid igneous rocks, on cliffs mainly exposed northwards between 200 and 550 m a.s.l. Soil is often thin, scarce or almost nonexistent, with a vegetation mainly consisting of mosses, lichens and small ferns (Mannocci et al. 2016), belonging to the alliance Linarion caprariae Foggi et al. 2006 (Habitat Directive: 8220 "Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation").
Population information: The species occurs on steep cliffs which are difficult to access. The total population is estimated to be fewer than 1,000 mature individuals. There is no detailed information available on population dynamics and trends.
Threats: 11.4 Storms & Flooding. It is possible to hypothesize that sporadic heavy rainfall events could lead to high flow in streams, resulting in landslides, in the small  narrow valleys where this species occurs and this could constitute a threat to some subpopulations.

CRITERIA APPLIED: Criterion B:
AOO: 4 km 2 calculated with a 2 × 2 km cell fixed grid a) The species occurs on the largely inaccessible cliffs, inside a protected area, therefore the only plausible threat could be the sporadic events of exceptional rainfalls (more and more frequent due to climate change) causing floods and landslides with possible impacts on the subpopulations. Something similar could explain the reason why the species was not confirmed in the historical site between "Convento" and "Monte della Fortezza". b) The threat of the sporadic heavy rainfall events is not sufficient to expect a decline in AOO (ii), number of subpopulations (iv) or number of mature individuals (v).

Criterion D:
Number of mature individuals: < 1000

Red List category and Criteria (Global Assessment) VU Vulnerable D1
Rationale for the assessment: Saxifraga montis-christi is an Italian endemic species that is known only on Montecristo Island in the Tuscan Archipelago. It occurs in two small barely accessible sites on volcanic rocky cliffs in an uninhabited island, inside a National Park. The total number of mature individuals is fewer than 1,000. It is therefore assessed as Vulnerable D1.
Conservation actions: As it was only recently described (Mannocci et al. 2016), Saxifraga montis-christi is not protected either at the regional, national or international level. Montecristo Island is an Integral Natural Reserve within the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. All the sites are included in the Montecristo Island SAC (IT5160014 "Isola di Montecristo").
Conservation actions needed: Further monitoring and research are recommended in order to better understand the population trends of the species.

Daniele Viciani, Giulio Ferretti, Matilde Gennai
Halocnemum cruciatum (Forssk.) Tod. Geographic distribution range: Halocnemum cruciatum (Fig. 5) is distributed throughout the Mediterranean Basin and Arabian Peninsula. The Spanish population is divided into three areas in the semi-arid provinces of SE Spain (Fig. 6). It was first collected in the province of Almeria by Losa & Rivas-Goday (1968) and it still occurs at two sites on the coastal salt marshes in San Juan de los Terreros and Pozo del Esparto, which are separated by 3.5 km. Two additional subpopulations persist in Murcia, one in Calarreona, very close to the Almeria populations (4.5 km), and another in Saladares del Guadalentin. In El Almarjal and Cabo de Palos, where it was discovered by Jiménez Munuera (1909), this plant was considered extinct. There are recent introductions in the salt marshes in Lo Poyo and Cotorrillo in San Pedro del Pinatar. In Alicante, Rigual (1968) cited it in Saladares de Albatera, Balsares del Altet, El Hondo de Crevillente, Salinas de La Marina and the surroundings of Pantano de Elche and the Vinalopo riverbed. Currently, it only exists in El Hondo and Salinas de Santa Pola; it has also disappeared from Clot de Galvany (Serra 2007).  Biology: Plant growth form: perennial (nanophanerophyte). Flowering and fruiting time: Flowering from August to September, fruiting from September to November.

Regional assessment (Spain)
Reproduction: By seed and vegetative propagation. Wind-pollinated. Seeds have no dispersal structures and germinate in the wet season (Pujol et al. 2001, Estrelles et al. 2015. Habitat and Ecology: Xerohalophyte (hyper-halophyte), growing on the margins of coastal and inland thermophilic salt marshes, on soils with high salt concentrations of the Frankenio corymbosae-Halocnemetum cruciati association (Biondi et al. 2013).
Population information: In Almeria, 2,455 mature individuals were counted in 2004; the number declined to 220 and 201 individuals in 2006 and 2015, respectively, due to habitat destruction. In Murcia, the counts conducted in Calarreona in 2006 showed an approximate number of 1,500 individuals, even though there has been a continuous regression due to a loss of habitat quality related to the watertable increase; thus, the species only survives on the wetland margins. In the Guadalentin subpopulation, a direct count was made in 2015, with a total of 5,789 individuals; however, much of the original area was degraded and occupied by agricultural activities. In Alicante, the total number of individuals is much higher, although it has a scattered distribution and many patches have been lost due to habitat transformation for crops, urbanization or infrastructure. It has even been affected within protected natural areas by an increase in the duration of flood irrigation to favour the presence of birds. In Murcia, translocations and plantations have been carried out, with a survival rate higher than 90%.

CRITERIA APPLIED:
Criterion A: There has been a more than 80% decrease in population size over the last 30 years which continues today. Both AOO and EOO have been reduced with destruction and loss of habitat quality.