Scientific name

Meliola berliniae Hansf. & Deighton [IndexFungorum. Index of Fungi 1: 264]

Synonyms

None noted.

Vernacular names

None known.

Taxonomic position

Meliolaceae, Meliolales, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota, Fungi.

Red List assessment

Critically Endangered [IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: version 3.1. Level: global].

Rationale

This evaluation is based on 39 records [breakdown: Cybernome (1 record); IndexFungorum (1 record); other catalogues (1 record)]. There are 13 records with dates, the earliest 1933 (the species was first described in 1948), the most recent 1955. This species is recorded from 2 countries in a single continent or region. This fungus is known to occur in association with 7 other species belonging in 3 genera.

Reasons for change from previous assessment

None: not previously assessed.

Date of assessment

29 November 2025.

Name/s of the assessor/s

D.W. Minter

Text documentation

Taxonomy. No comment. Geographical distribution. Democratic Republic of the Congo (former Kivu); Sierra Leone (North West, Southern). IUCN area statistics [km²] AOO EOO Pre-1961 24 753,339 1961-2000 0 0 Post-2000 0 0 Associated organisms and substrata [IUCN Red List status, if known]. Plantae (part): Afzelia africana Sm. ex Pers. [VU] (leaf); Afzelia bella Harms [LC] (leaf); Afzelia bracteata Vogel ex Benth. (leaf); Berlinia grandiflora (Vahl) Hutch. & Dalziel [LC] (leaf); Berlinia heudelotiana Baill.; Detarium senegalense J.F. Gmel. [LC]. Habitat and ecology. Threats. Climate change. Not known. Habitat destruction. The following plants associated with this species are listed by the IUCN as threatened: Afzelia africana [VU]. Persecution. Not known. Pollution. Not known. Population. Not known. With no direct information, observation frequency over time, if available, can be considered as a proxy to infer current population trend; for species associated with trees, loss of woodland cover over time is another possible proxy. Observation frequency over time. The species was first described in 1948. There are 13 datable records of this species. The earliest is 1933 and the most recent is 1955. Loss of tree cover over time. This species occurs associated with trees in the following countries (percentage loss of tree cover between 2001 and 2024 in brackets): Democratic Republic of the Congo (11%); Sierra Leone (39%) [figures from 'Forest change' tab of Global Forest Watch]. Current trend (inferred). Long-term steep decline possibly driven by habitat destruction. The small number of datable records makes this inference very uncertain. Conservation actions (in situ). None known. Conservation actions (ex situ). Culture collections. Straininfo: check current status. Genome banks. European Nucleotide Archive: check current status; NCBI: check current status. Economic impacts (positive). Bioremediation. None known. Biotechnology. None known. Cultural. None known. Ecosystem services. None known. Feed (animals). None known. Food (human). None known. Medical/veterinary. None known. Economic impacts (negative). Biodeterioration. None known. Disease. None known. Invasiveness. None known.