Rediscovery of <i>Ravenea latisecta</i> Jum. (Arecaceae) after a century, and the conservation implications

Abstract

Abstract Rediscoveries of endemic plant species previously believed lost recalibrate conservation priorities by revealing relict populations and underscore the need for botanical surveys. Since its description in 1927, Ravenea latisecta , a palm species endemic to Madagascar, had been considered lost for nearly a century. Numerous palm collections failed to find wild populations, raising doubts about its existence. During a 2024 botanical survey in the Andasibe region, we rediscovered the species in Vohimana Reserve, Analamazoatra–Mantadia National Park and Vakona Forest private reserve. We recorded a total of 28 individuals within a limited area of c. 50 km 2 . Our findings suggest a provisional categorization as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. All known individuals are located within protected areas, under various management regimes. Monitoring will be essential to evaluate potential threats, track population dynamics and study the species’ reproductive biology. This rediscovery highlights the critical role of fieldwork in Madagascar, where species believed lost may persist in overlooked forest patches. Our rediscovery shows that conserving even small forest remnants can safeguard species, and has conservation implications: integrated strategies are needed to secure the future of narrowly endemic palm species.