The endemic plant species of Ebo Forest, Littoral Region, Cameroon with a new Critically Endangered cloud forest shrub, Memecylon ebo (Melastomataceae-Olisbeoideae)

We emphasise the urgent need to conserve the Ebo forest (Littoral Region, Cameroon), which holds 10 strict endemic plant species and 15 near endemics for a total of 25, a very high number far exceeding the threshold for its recent status as an Important Plant Area (IPA). We describe a further strict endemic species from the Ebo Forest, Memecylon ebo sp. nov. (Melastomataceae-Olisbeoideae) placed in sect. Afzeliana due to its ellipsoid blue-green fruits. The yellow petals and jade green anther-connectives of M. ebo are unique in the genus Memecylon as a whole, among its >400 species ranging overall from Africa to the western Pacific. Memecylon ebo is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) using the 2012 IUCN standard due to the small range size and the extremely high and ongoing threats of logging at Ebo, and also due to subsequent threats of potential oil palm plantation and mining projects. With the addition of Memecylon ebo, the tally of Critically Endangered plant species recorded from Ebo forest is now the highest of any IPA in Cameroon, equalling that of, Ngovayang with 24 CR species.