Magnolia pedrazae is a species of flowering plant in the family Magnoliaceae. It is endemic to the Sierra Madre Oriental of eastern Mexico.[1]

Magnolia pedrazae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Magnoliaceae
Genus: Magnolia
Section: Magnolia sect. Magnolia
Species:
M. pedrazae
Binomial name
Magnolia pedrazae
A.Vázquez

Description edit

Magnolia pedrazae is a tree that grows from 10 to 20 meters tall. It has broadly elliptic leaves, (10.5–) 13 – 18 long by (5.5) 6 – 8.5 cm wide. It flowers in June and fruits from August to December.[2]

The species was classed as Magnolia schiedeana until being recognized as a distinct species. M. schiedeana is also a cloud forest species, found further south in the Sierra Madre Oriental. M. pedrazae is distinguished from M. schiedeana in having broadly elliptic leaves rather than lanceolate elliptic ones, 100–110 stamens rather than ca. 20, yellowish pubescent polyfollicles and peduncle rather than glabrous ones, and 34 – 40 carpels rather than ca. 20.[2]

Range and habitat edit

Magnolia pedrazae is native to the Sierra Gorda, a sub-range of the Sierra Madre Oriental in eastern Mexico. It has been found in the localities of La Yesca, La Joya del Hielo, Las Flores, La Silleta, and Coronel Castillo in the municipalities of Landa de Matamoros and Jalpan de Serra in Querétaro state and in adjacent San Luis Potosí state.[1][2][3] The species' estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) is 180 km2 in up to three locations.[1]

It native to cloud forests between 1,500 and 1,800 meters elevation.[1] At La Joya del Hielo it grows in cloud forest with Cupressus lusitanica, Magnolia rzedowskiana, and Taxus globosa. At La Mesa it grows with species of Abies, Quercus, Liquidambar, Pinus, Tilia, and Podocarpus.[2]

Conservation edit

Magnolia pedrazae is subject to habitat loss and degradation from timber extraction and expansion of livestock pasture. Its known populations are within the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve protected area. The species' conservation status is assessed as endangered.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wheeler, L., Culverhouse, F., Samain, M.S., Martínez Salas, E. & Rivers, M.C. 2016. Magnolia pedrazae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T67513587A67513803. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T67513587A67513803.en. Accessed 9 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d J. A. Vázquez-García, Muñiz-Castro, M. A., Arroyo, F., Pérez, Á. J., Serna, M., Cuevas, R., Domínguez-Yescas, R., De Castro-Arce, E., Gurrola-Díaz, C., 2013. Novelties in Neotropical Magnolia and an addendum proposal to the IUCN Red List of Magnoliaceae. in Recursos Forestales en el Occidente de México, Serie Fronteras de Biodiversidad, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara. pp. 461-496. ISBN 978-607-8072-73-6
  3. ^ Rico, Yessica, and Bruno Alejandro Gutiérrez Becerril (2019). Species delimitation and genetic structure of two endemic Magnolia species (section Magnolia; Magnoliaceae) in Mexico. Genetica (2019) 147:57–68 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-019-00052-8