Red List Status Research Articles

Co – creation Approaches to Improve Conservation Efforts of African Elephant Populations in Nigeria

Scientific sources and the IUCN reveal the decline in African Elephant populations, and new Redlist status for both the Forest and Savannah African Elephants. Efforts are ongoing to improve conservation of Forest and Savannah Elephants in Nigeria through engagement of local communities adjoining Protected Areas. This study investigates the willingness of local communities to co-create approaches that support elephants’ conservation efforts. The study was carried out in Omo Forest Reserve, South – western, Nigeria and Yankari Game Reserve, North-eastern part of the country, for forest and savannah Elephants respectively. Mixed methods of questionnaires, outreaches, and youth engagement were used to collect data. The data was analyzed using simple averages, chi-square, and ANOVA tests. The study’s findings reveal that 95.0% of participants agree that elephants should be protected. About 88.0% of the participants also agree that communities will benefit from elephant protection and 60.0% attribute the value of elephants to eco- tourism, while 45.0% for revenue generation. In addition, 41.0% of the participants have experience in co-creation approaches for wildlife conservation. Participants showed willingness and support to participate in elephant conservation efforts. Therefore, concerted efforts of co – creation approaches need to be further explored for sustainable elephant conservation efforts in Nigeria. Key words: co-creation, elephant conservation, sustainability, local communities, biodiversity

Spatial Pattern Analysis and Conservation Assessment of Apiaceae in Mongolia.

The family Apiaceae, distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, is the largest family of angiosperms. However, little is known about the conservation status, diversity, and distribution of Apiaceae species in Mongolia. This study had two main aims: (1) to assess the national status of Apiaceae species under IUCN Red List Criterion B; (2) to evaluate the species diversity and richness of Apiaceae across Mongolia. We utilized ConR packages to assess the national Red List status of all known Mongolian Apiaceae species by analyzing their most comprehensive occurrence records. The results indicated that 27 species were classified as threatened, including 4 Critically Endangered (CR), 9 Endangered (EN), and 14 Vulnerable (VU) species. Meanwhile, 39 species were assessed as non-threatened, with 2 Near Threatened (NT) species and 37 species of Least Concern (LC). Furthermore, detailed distribution maps for 66 Apiaceae species in Mongolia were presented. We assessed the species diversity and Shannon and Simpson diversity indices of Apiaceae by analyzing all occurrence records using the iNext package. Overall, the Hill diversity estimates indicate that the sampling conducted in Mongolia adequately captured species occurrences. For species pattern analysis, we examined the species richness, weighted endemism, and the corrected weighted endemism index using Biodiverse v.4.1 software. Mongolia was portioned into 715 grid cells based on 0.5° × 0.5° grid sizes (equivalent to approximately 50 × 50 km2). There was a total of 3062 unique occurrences of all Apiaceae species across Mongolia. In the species richness analysis, we identified 10 grids that exhibited high species richness (18-29 species) and 36 grids with 11-17 species. For genus richness, we observed seven grids that exhibited a high genus richness of 16-22 genera. Furthermore, we analyzed species richness with a specific focus on threatened species, encompassing CR, EN, and VU species throughout Mongolia. A total of 92 grids contained at least one threatened species. There were six grids that had two to five threatened species, which were adequately covered by protected areas in western Mongolia. Overall, our results on species richness and conservation status will serve as important foundational research for future conservation and land management efforts in Mongolia.

Lost and found: the rediscovery of the lost fern species Asplenium achalense (Aspleniaceae) and assessment of its conservation status

Abstract The fern of Achala Asplenium achalense Hieron. (Aspleniaceae), endemic to north-west and central Argentina, was formerly considered a lost species. We describe its rediscovery in August 2022 in the Yungas biogeographical province, compile a map of all historical and current records of the species, and propose an IUCN Red List status. We estimated the fern of Achala's range using the area of occupancy of the rediscovered population, calculated as 4 km2 because it is located in a single 2 × 2 km grid square. The extent of occurrence cannot be calculated because only a single living population is known. These data suggest a provisional categorization of the fern of Achala as Critically Endangered based on criteria B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v). The species should be considered Regionally Extinct in its locus classicus in Comechingones biogeographical province. We recommend securing the conservation of the single known population (which does not lie within a conservation unit), further surveys for the species in the five protected areas where it was recorded historically, and restoration of the species in the wild. To support the latter, we are cultivating spores and gametophytes of the fern of Achala, in collaboration with colleagues from the National University of La Plata.

The African Penguin Spheniscus demersus should be considered Critically Endangered

The African Penguin Spheniscus demersus has been considered a threatened species since 1984 and, aside from a short period around 2000, its population has been in constant decline since at least the 1950s. By combining counts of the numbers of breeding pairs made at 26 colonies in South Africa and Namibia between 1979 and 2023 with Bayesian state–space models we reassess the species’ conservation status. The breeding population has declined by 77.8% (95% credible intervals: 71.8–84.6%) over the last 30 years (3 generations), from ∼44 300 breeding pairs in 1993 to ∼9 900 pairs in 2023. This falls just below the threshold for a global IUCN Red List status of Critically Endangered (CR) under criterion A2. However, the decline in Namibia exceeds that threshold at the national level (30-year decline = 82.4%, 78.2–86.2%) following the loss of ∼3 600 breeding pairs there in the last 5 years. In South Africa, the Western Cape population is now declining at <1.5% per annum, but the annual rate of decline in the Eastern Cape has worsened substantially, reaching 13% over the last 10 years. Overall, the global population has more than halved in the last decade and has fallen below 10 000 pairs for the first time. Moreover, “moving window reductions” over 3 generations using observed and projected population trajectories (up to the year 2033) indicate that the decline of the African Penguin population will exceed the 80% CR threshold (under criterion A4ab) with a high probability by 2028. Accordingly, we propose that the African Penguin should be transferred to the IUCN Red List category Critically Endangered.

Continental‐scale identification and prioritisation of potential refugee species; a case study for rodents in Australia

A species is expected to be most resilient to environmental change when it occurs across a broad diversity of habitats. However, there is often no visual representation of the past (i.e. prehistoric and historical) context for a species in the range maps published by national and global authorities. Therefore, it is easy to overlook the fact that many species once occupied a broader geographic range, or greater diversity of habitats. Such oversights hinder the effective conservation of species that have become restricted to a subset of their formerly occupied habitats. Here, we quantified the shifted baseline that may underpin some of the ecological misconceptions about species, and developed a rapid assessment method to aid the identification and prioritisation of ‘potential refugee species' (i.e. species that have become restricted to a subset of their formerly occupied niche). The assessment of potential refugee status is different from, but complementary to, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and Green Status frameworks. Our framework defines a continuum of potential refugee status, which was demonstratable in continent‐scale maps drawn from biogeographic regionalisation. Applying this framework to all native rodent species across the continent of Australia (a group that has suffered several extinctions and notable declines), we found that the risk of ecological misconceptions caused by shifted baselines (i.e. resulting from ‘shifting baseline syndrome') was prevalent. This suggests that in many cases, translocation opportunities that might be avoided because they are perceived as conservation introductions (as defined by the IUCN translocation guidelines), may in fact fall within the indigenous range, and should therefore be considered reasonable reintroductions. Ultimately, our potential refugee assessment framework will help to facilitate the undertaking of ambitious translocations that will build species' resilience to environmental change by resuming their adaptation to habitats across all formerly occupied bioregions.

Multinational evaluation of genetic diversity indicators for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Under the recently adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, 196 Parties committed to reporting the status of genetic diversity for all species. To facilitate reporting, three genetic diversity indicators were developed, two of which focus on processes contributing to genetic diversity conservation: maintaining genetically distinct populations and ensuring populations are large enough to maintain genetic diversity. The major advantage of these indicators is that they can be estimated with or without DNA-based data. However, demonstrating their feasibility requires addressing the methodological challenges of using data gathered from diverse sources, across diverse taxonomic groups, and for countries of varying socio-economic status and biodiversity levels. Here, we assess the genetic indicators for 919 taxa, representing 5271 populations across nine countries, including megadiverse countries and developing economies. Eighty-three percent of the taxa assessed had data available to calculate at least one indicator. Our results show that although the majority of species maintain most populations, 58% of species have populations too small to maintain genetic diversity. Moreover, genetic indicator values suggest that IUCN Red List status and other initiatives fail to assess genetic status, highlighting the critical importance of genetic indicators.

Myrsine cirrhosa (Primulaceae), a distinctive new shrub species from Kaua‘i, Hawaiian Islands

Myrsine cirrhosa Lorence &amp; K.R.Wood (Primulaceae), a new single-island endemic shrub species from Kaua‘i, Hawaiian Islands, is described and illustrated. Notes on its distribution, ecology and conservation status are included. The new species is known from an area with ca. 45 individuals, where it is restricted to the remote central windward region of Kaua‘i in open bogs and along open windy ridges. Suggested IUCN Red List status is CR (Critically Endangered). It differs from its Kaua‘i congeners by its longer petals and narrowly elliptic leaves with strongly undulate margins and tendril-like apex. Phylogenetic analysis using RADseq data supports the recognition of this new species.

An annotated avian checklist of Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India

The Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) boasts a variety of habitats, including forest, riparian, degraded forest, and transitional zones located near human settlements and cropland. From 2019 to 2022, a thorough avian survey was conducted using the point count method, covering all habitats and seasons. The study documented 227 avian species from 65 families and 18 orders. Of the bird species observed, 72.3% were resident, and 27.7% were migratory. Over the study period, one Endangered species, three Vulnerable, and six Near Threatened species were recorded based on their IUCN Red List status. The avian diversity pattern in BWS is in&amp;#64258;uenced by a variety of factors, including forest contiguity and heterogeneous habitat. Proper evaluation and management of habitats are essential for the recovery and preservation of fragile environments susceptible to decline in the region.

Avian hatching failure rates did not increase during the last century, although species of high conservation concern appear particularly susceptible to factors leading to reproductive failure

Abstract Increasing levels of global environmental change may have negative impacts on fertility and embryo viability in animals that could explain a recently reported increase in hatching failure in bird eggs across the globe. Here we test this relationship again by analyzing a dataset containing almost twice as many species and covering a longer time period than earlier works (n = 431 species during the period 1906–2022). We also tested for effects of Red List status and global population size. We found that hatching failure rates in a combined group of bird species currently classified as threatened (IUCN Red List categories Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable) or Near Threatened, peaked in the late 1970s to early 1980s and thereafter declined. A similar trend also existed in species with relatively small global populations. In contrast, no temporal trends were found in species in the Least Concern category, or in species with large global populations. Moreover, hatching failure rates declined significantly with increasing global population sizes. The temporal peak of hatching failure rates in threatened and Near Threatened species corresponds with the peak in environmental levels of the insecticide DDT. While this could suggest that environmental pollution caused the temporal trends in hatching failure rates, effects of inbreeding in small and threatened populations sampled more frequently during this period could not be excluded. Although we found no evidence suggesting that the rates of hatching failure in bird eggs are increasing, the current study supports previous works showing that species of high conservation concern appear to be more susceptible to factors leading to reproductive failure than other species.

Mammals of Myanmar: an annotated checklist

Abstract When the book Wild mammals of Myanmar (Tun Yin 1993) was published, a total of 252 mammal species were reported. Since that publication, numerous new species have been described, taxonomic revisions published, and additional distribution records produced that have expanded Myanmar’s mammals considerably. Therefore, we aimed to provide an updated checklist of the mammals of Myanmar, which includes the scientific and common names, global and Myanmar distributions, remarks on taxonomy, and conservation information including the IUCN Red List status and legal protection status under The Conservation of Biodiversity and Protected Areas Law 2018 of Myanmar. Our new checklist includes 365 (33 marine and 332 terrestrial) mammal species belonging to 13 orders and 49 families. We also confirmed that Myanmar is home to at least nine endemic mammal species. Our results highlight the areas that require further exploration to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Myanmar’s diverse fauna.

Gardens as drivers of native plant species dispersal and conservation

Abstract Gardens hold untapped potential for participatory biodiversity conservation. Conservation gardening has recently emerged as a way to foster declining native plant species in urban and rural green spaces. But the impact of cultivating these species on population trends in the broader landscape remains underexplored. This study examines the effects of cultivating herbaceous native plants on their long‐term population trends and endangerment, using Rothmaler's ‘Herbaceous Ornamental and Crop Plants’ in Germany, along with the German Red List of 1998 and 2018. It investigates whether native plants under cultivation are less endangered, examines the long‐term population trends relative to cultivation frequency and assesses the potential role of cultivation in improving Red List status. The findings reveal that cultivated species, especially those commonly grown in gardens, were less likely to be endangered. Moreover, commonly cultivated species had fewer declining and more positive long‐term population trends compared to non‐cultivated species. Some evidence suggests that commonly cultivated plants recorded on the 1998 Red List as threatened are more likely to improve their status, yet still a considerable proportion is in decline. These findings hint at a promising role of gardens as a means to support native species populations, but they also underscore the need for a nuanced understanding of which species are most likely to benefit from cultivation. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

New Checklist and the Red list of the mosses (Bryophyta) of Slovenia

Abstract The new Checklist of mosses (Bryophyta) of Slovenia within current political boundaries comprises 669 species, 6 subspecies and 18 varieties. Additional 13 species are denoted by a question mark since reports are considered questionable. An alphabetically arranged tabular presentation of genera, species and lower taxa, also shows their presence in particular phytogeographical units of Slovenia. The records from the periods before and after 1959 are marked with different symbols. Each species has also new Red List status in Slovenia. The checklist includes the data from literature and the Herbarium LJU. Annotations to selected species give a critical evaluation of the literature and herbarium data. A list of taxa that should be excluded from the flora of Slovenia and the synonyms used in the floristic literature for Slovenia are also added.

Confirmation of Skywalker Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock tianxing) in Myanmar Extends Known Geographic Range of an Endangered Primate

Characterizing genetically distinct populations of primates is important for protecting biodiversity and effectively allocating conservation resources. Skywalker gibbons (Hoolock tianxing) were first described in 2017, with the only confirmed population consisting of 150 individuals in Mt. Gaoligong, Yunnan Province, China. Based on river geography, the distribution of the skywalker gibbon has been hypothesized to extend into Myanmar between the N’Mai Kha and Ayeyarwaddy Rivers to the west, and the Salween River (named the Thanlwin River in Myanmar and Nujiang River in China) to the east. We conducted acoustic point-count sampling surveys, collected noninvasive samples for molecular mitochondrial cytochrome b gene identification, and took photographs for morphological identification at six sites in Kachin State and three sites in Shan State to determine the presence of skywalker gibbons in predicted suitable forest areas in Myanmar. We also conducted 50 semistructured interviews with members of communities surrounding gibbon range forests to understand potential threats. In Kachin State, we audio-recorded 23 gibbon groups with group densities ranging between 0.57 and 3.6 group/km2. In Shan State, we audio-recorded 21 gibbon groups with group densities ranging between 0.134 and 1.0 group/km2. Based on genetic data obtained from skin and saliva samples, the gibbons were identified as skywalker gibbons (99.54–100% identity). Although these findings increase the species’ known population size and confirmed distribution, skywalker gibbons in Myanmar are threatened by local habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation. Most of the skywalker gibbon population in Myanmar exists outside protected areas. Therefore, the IUCN Red List status of the skywalker gibbon should remain as Endangered.

Taxonomic Diversity of Climbers and the Preferred Support Plant Species at Brackenhurst Botanical Garden, Kiambu County, Central Kenya

Kenya has a flora consisting of seven plant distribution regions designated as (K1-K7). According to the early administrative division of Kenya, seven plant distribution regions (K1–K7) had been divided by "Flora of Tropical East Africa" (hereafter FTEA). Brackenhurst Botanical Garden where the current study was undertaken (Hereafter BBG) is located in Kiambu County, central Kenya, therefore falling under K4 region (the central region) and has 4 forest plots, creating great plant diversity. This study examined the current Liana and vines and their support plants diversity in BBG. This survey therefore aimed at compiling and synthesizing existing and where possible, new information on the climbers and support plants in Brackenhurst plots in Limuru, Kenya. The ultimate purpose was to provide stakeholders with information on the climbers’ diversity and the resources derived from them. Information of the native range and their IUCN red list status was also investigated in the current study. The sampling design comprised of meander and patterned searches because of the terrain at the BBG. This method was set up specifically to facilitate ecological sampling of climbers which are notorious for clumped distribution. All the voucher specimens collected were dried and kept in herbaria at JKUAT and BBG. A total of 31 vascular plant taxa from 17 vascular plant families and 27 genera were recorded. The majority of taxa were recorded in the Passifloraceae, Rhamnaceae, and Asteraceae families. The flora of the entire site was rich in climbers and their support plants. The study recommends more research to be done on the ethnobotanical uses of the climbers since most have medicinal value as seen from this study.

Filling knowledge gaps in insect conservation by leveraging genetic data from public archives.

Insect decline has become a growing concern in recent years, with studies showing alarming declines in populations of several taxa. Our knowledge about genetic spatial patterns and evolutionary history of insects still exhibits significant gaps hindering our ability to effectively conserve and manage insect populations and species. Genetic data may provide valuable insights into the diversity and the evolutionary relationships of insects' species and populations. Public repositories, such as GenBank and BOLD, containing vast archives of genetic data with associated metadata, offer an irreplaceable resource for researchers contributing to our understanding of species diversity, population structure and evolutionary relationships. However, there are some issues in using these data, as they are often scattered and may lack accuracy due to inconsistent sampling protocols and incomplete information. In this paper we describe a curated georeferenced database of genetic data collected in GenBank and BOLD, for insects listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Italian Red Lists (dragonflies, bees, saproxylic beetles and butterflies). After querying these repositories, we performed quality control and data standardization steps. We created a dataset containing approximately 33 000 mitochondrial sequences and associated metadata about taxonomy, collection localities, geographic coordinates and IUCN Red List status for 1466 species across the four insect lists. We describe the current state of geographical metadata in queried repositories for species listed under different conservation status in the Italian Red Lists to quantify data gaps posing barriers to prioritization of conservation actions. Our curated dataset is available for data repurposing and analysis, enabling researchers to conduct comparative studies. We emphasize the importance of filling knowledge gaps in insect diversity and distribution and highlight the potential of this dataset for promoting other research fields like phylogeography, macrogenetics and conservation strategies. Our database can be downloaded through the Zenodo repository in SQL format. Database URL: https://zenodo.org/records/8375181.

Freshwater fish diversity and IUCN Red List status of glacial-fed (Bheri) and spring-fed (Babai) rivers in the wake of inter-basin water transfer

Freshwater fish are crucial components of aquatic ecosystems that are affected by a range of anthropogenic activities. Freshwater bodies in Nepal are under different threats affecting biodiversity. Inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) involving damming and diversion of water from one river basin to another is considered a major threat to aquatic biodiversity. Impact assessment of such projects include generation of baseline information on different biotic and abiotic variables. The aim of this study was to generate baseline information on fish diversity from the glacial-fed (Bheri) and the spring-fed (Babai) rivers and their selected tributaries from western Nepal in the wake of the first proposed inter-basin water transfer from the former to the latter. A total of 10 sampling sites, five each from Bheri and Babai River systems, were chosen strategically. Electrofishing was conducted encompassing different seasons in 2018 following the standard method. A total of 32 species with catch per unit effort (CPUE) of 47±24 from Bheri and 42 species with CPUE of 63±52 from Babai River were recorded. Cyprinidae, followed by Nemacheilidae, were the most dominant families in both river systems, and Barilius vagra and Schistura beavani were the most dominant species in both. Species richness and abundance showed a significant difference between rivers, and differences in fish assemblages reflects differences in ecological regimes. Failure to observe migratory species such as Anguilla bengalensis suggests that migratory routes may already have been affected. Of the total 52 species recorded, eight are in the threatened categories of the IUCN Red List and need active conservation measures. The findings provide a reference to assess the impacts of water transfers on fish assemblages in these river systems.

Tadpoles in lotic waters, habitat specialization, and human population density lead tree frogs (Hylinae) to higher extinction risk

Analyzing patterns of vulnerability to extinction across clades and traits that make species more prone to extinction are crucial steps towards prioritization of conservation efforts. Here we identified genera more vulnerable to extinction than expected by chance within the anuran subfamily Hylinae. We also investigated a broad range of intrinsic and extrinsic factors and their interactions as predictors of a proxy for extinction risk (IUCN Red List status). By conducting simulation analyses, we found that binary threat status is not randomly distributed across Hylinae genera, with Charadrahyla, Hyloscirtus, Isthmohyla, Plectrohyla, and Sarcohyla containing more threatened species than expected by chance. By using model selection and average approaches, we found strong support for increased likelihood of threatened status as habitat diversity decreases and human population density increases, and for species with larvae inhabiting lotic waters to be more threatened than those with larvae inhabiting lentic waters. Overall, our results were robust to different treatments of Data Deficient species (threatened or non-threatened). However, results were affected by the inclusion of geographic range size as another predictor, with habitat diversity becoming a non-significant predictor of threatened status. Our results highlight the importance of simultaneously analyzing both intrinsic and extrinsic predictors in correlative studies of extinction risk. Additionally, they underscore the need for conservation research and programs focused on both larvae and adults of organisms with biphasic life cycles and the establishment and evaluation of effectiveness of natural refuges far from areas under high human pressures, such as privately and community protected areas.

Murky waters: Assessing the vulnerabilities of Indo‐West Pacific non‐marine elasmobranchs to inform future conservation planning priorities

Abstract Globally, freshwater environments are imperilled, with freshwater vertebrate species declining at twice the rate of marine and terrestrial populations. Non‐marine elasmobranchs (freshwater obligates and euryhaline generalists) remain understudied and overlooked by conservation efforts. This study aimed to adapt and apply a vulnerability assessment framework to understand the conservation priorities of Indo‐West Pacific non‐marine elasmobranch species. An exposure sensitivity adaptability (ESA) framework was used to assess vulnerability to environmental threats, and an exposure susceptibility productivity (ESP) framework was used to assess vulnerability to fisheries. Resulting species vulnerabilities were categorized into three conservation priority tiers. The general patterns of conservation priority tiering were as follows: (i) large‐bodied euryhaline species occurring in densely populated nations had the highest ESA and ESP vulnerabilities; (ii) freshwater obligates also had high ESA vulnerability rankings, although ESP vulnerability rankings were lower as their smaller body sizes suggest increased population productivity and higher potential for resilience; and (iii) euryhaline species with large range proportions in northern Australia had moderate to low vulnerability rankings across ESA and ESP assessments, as these species benefit from reduced fisheries mortality compared with species occurring in other regions. The outcomes from the vulnerability assessment framework for the conservation priority rankings of species corresponded with their respective International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status, whereby priority 1 and 2 species also have elevated extinction risks. Environmental threats were at high or moderate levels in all nations assessed, while Cambodia, China, Malaysia, and Myanmar face the highest pressure from inland fisheries. The major knowledge gaps identified included species‐specific productivity estimates, population dynamics (population movements and habitat requirements), and information on mortality from the threats considered. The present ESA–ESP framework was effective for the broad and data‐poor context of Indo‐West Pacific non‐marine elasmobranchs, and the results will be useful for guiding future conservation planning for high‐priority species and nations.

Paludiculture can support biodiversity conservation in rewetted fen peatlands

Paludiculture, the productive use of wet or rewetted peatlands, offers an option for continued land use by farmers after rewetting formerly drained peatlands, while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from peat soils. Biodiversity conservation may benefit, but research on how biodiversity responds to paludiculture is scarce. We conducted a multi-taxon study investigating vegetation, breeding bird and arthropod diversity at six rewetted fen sites dominated by Carex or Typha species. Sites were either unharvested, low- or high-intensity managed, and were located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in northeastern Germany. Biodiversity was estimated across the range of Hill numbers using the iNEXT package, and species were checked for Red List status. Here we show that paludiculture sites can provide biodiversity value even while not reflecting historic fen conditions; managed sites had high plant diversity, as well as Red Listed arthropods and breeding birds. Our study demonstrates that paludiculture has the potential to provide valuable habitat for species even while productive management of the land continues.

Chlorophytum vespertinum (Asparagaceae, Anthericeae), a New Species from Zambia and Tanzania

Chlorophytum vespertinum Vollesen from Zambia and Tanzania is described and illustrated. The species exhibits characters unique in Chlorophytum Ker Gawl.: pendulous flowers and fruits, flowers that open late in the afternoon and close before midnight, and leaves with a long-extended reflexed or recoiled tip. Its affinities are discussed in the context of recent taxonomic work on the genus. The species is distributed from central northern Zambia to southwestern Tanzania and usually grows on termite mounds in Brachystegia Benth. woodland or in surrounding areas. Chlorophytum vespertinum is assigned a preliminary IUCN Red List status of Vulnerable.