EN

Basselinia gracilis

Unknown

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Basselinia gracilis faces severe pressure from nickel mining operations across New Caledonia's ultramafic soils, which directly destroy its specialized serpentine habitat. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation from mining expansion and associated infrastructure development. Fire regimes altered by human activities pose an additional threat to remaining populations in this fire-sensitive palm species.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic palm occurs exclusively on ultramafic soils derived from serpentine substrates in New Caledonia's specialized maquis shrubland vegetation. It inhabits open to semi-open areas within this unique ecosystem, typically at elevations between 200-800 meters where the nutrient-poor, metal-rich soils create highly specialized growing conditions.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recovery

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Basselinia gracilis classified as Endangered?
Basselinia gracilis is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Basselinia gracilis faces severe pressure from nickel mining operations across New Caledonia's ultramafic soils, which directly destroy its specialized serpentine habitat. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation from mining expansion and associated infrastructure development. Fire regimes altered by human activities pose an additional threat to remaining populations in this fire-sensitive palm species.
Where does Basselinia gracilis live?
Basselinia gracilis occurs in New Caledonia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Basselinia gracilis?
The main threats to Basselinia gracilis are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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