Bryopteris gaudichaudii Gottsche (1857: 341)

Ah-Peng, Claudine, Bardat, Jacques, Pócs, Tamás, Söderström, Lars, Staménoff, Pierre & Strasberg, Dominique, 2012, Red List of liverworts and hornworts for Réunion (Mascarene archipelago), Phytotaxa 68 (1), pp. 1-23 : 6-7

5. Bryopteris gaudichaudii Gottsche (1857: 341)

Family:— Lejeuneaceae

Distribution:— Madagascar, Mauritius and Réunion (one record, no precise locality for the island).

Habitat:— Coastal ericacean heath and montane rainforest on Madagascar. Not found again in Réunion since the collection of the type specimen “Voyage de M. Gaudichaud sur La Bonite 1836-37. Ile Bourbon, juillet 1837, PC101870”. The observation of the specimen gave some clues on the habit of the specimens: corticolous and pendant .

Threat:— Lowland habitat destruction.

IUCN threat category:— RE

Notes:— Despite recent exhaustive searches in the field, this species has not been found again and it is probably extinct on the island, probably due to disappearance of its habitat. The species is facing an extremely high risk of worldwide extinction in the immediate future (IUCN category Critically Endangered) based on its small distribution area (area of occupancy in Madagascar less than 10 km ² in only two localities about 75 km from each other) in combination with declining extent of its habitat. Although dispersion via spores may be possible from Madagascar to Réunion, the potential for any re-colonization is unknown.