Magnolia pugana, commonly known as almacasusco, is a species of Magnolia from northern Jalisco and southern Zacatecas states in western Mexico.

Magnolia pugana
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. pugana
Binomial name
Magnolia pugana
(Iltis & A.Vazquez) A.Vazquez & Carvajal
Synonyms[2]

Magnolia pacifica subsp. pugana Iltis & A.Vazquez

Description edit

Magnolia pugana is a medium-sized tree, growing 15 to 25 meters tall, with a trunk up to 40–80 cm in diameter.[1]

Range and habitat edit

Magnolia pugana is found in the valleys and canyons of the middle Río Grande de Santiago and lower reaches of the Juchipila and Verde rivers, and on the slopes of the neighboring Sierra de Morones and Sierra Fría ranges, in northern Jalisco and southern Zacatecas states. It occurs in mountainside cloud forests, and more commonly in humid ravines and riparian forests along permanent streams in dry deciduous forests, from 1,300 to 1,600 meters elevation.[1]

It has a very restricted range, with an area of occupancy (AOO) of 114 km2 and an extent of occurrence of approximately 2,460 km2.[1]

Conservation edit

The species has a restricted range and is threatened by habitat loss from deforestation and conversion of its habitat to agriculture and urbanization. Its population is decreasing, and its conservation status is assessed as Endangered.[1]

Systematics edit

Magnolia pugana belongs to sect. Magnolia. Other closely related species live in western Mexico and constitute the Magnolia pacifica group – Magnolia pacifica from the coast-facing mountains of Nayarit and western Jalisco, and Magnolia vallartensis from the Pacific lowlands around Puerto Vallarta.[3] M. pugana and M. vallartensis are sometimes classed as subspecies of M. pacifica.

Vázquez-García et al. consider the eastern population of M. pugana from the Río Verde region in Zapotlanejo and Ixtlahuacán del Río municipalities north of Guadalajara, known as the Barrancae Group, to be separate species, M. granbarrancae.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Gibbs, D. & Khela, S. 2014. Magnolia pugana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014: e.T194806A2363344. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T194806A2363344.en. Accessed 15 August 2022.
  2. ^ Magnolia pugana (Iltis & A.Vazquez) A.Vazquez & Carvajal. Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 14 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b Vázquez-García, José & Muñiz-Castro, Miguel Angel & Dahua-Machoa, Alex & Osorio-Muñoz, Edson & Hernández-Vera, Gerardo & Ortega-Peña, Alondra Salome & Jacobo-Pereira, César & Romo Campos, Rosa & Roman, Noelia & Shalisko, Viacheslav. (2020). "How to Save Endangered Magnolias?" in Population Biology to Conservation Action: The Case of Allopatric Radiation in Western Mexico. 10.5772/intechopen.94346.