Country: Guinea
Administrative region: Forecariah (Prefecture)
Central co-ordinates: 7.62222 N, 8.41 W
Area: 0.5km²
Qualifying IPA Criteria
A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species, B(i)Site contains a high number of species within defined habitat or vegetation types, C(iii)Site contains nationally threatened or restricted habitat or vegetation types, AND/OR habitats that have severely declined in extent nationally
IPA assessment rationale
The Moofanyi inselbergs are one of the best representatives of coastal inselbergs in Guinee Maritime depicting 9 of the 10 microhabitats for West African inselbergs identified by Porembski et al (1997, 2000). The lowland forest patch on the inselberg has three globally important highly threatened species Tarenna hutchinsonii (CR), Marsdenia exellii (EN), Stylochaeton pilosus (EN), with the first two demonstrating high genetic diversity. The inselberg has populations of Raphionacme caerulea (EN), Dilophotriche occidentalis (VU) and Mesanthemum albidum (VU), and numerous near threatened species and is threatened by past and future quarrying activities.
Site description
Two granite dome inselbergs partly surrounded by mangrove. The larger inselberg (Moofanyi masculine) has a lowland forest patch on part of it, dominated by trees of Guibourtia copallifera. The larger inselberg has many microhabitats present which are best distinguished during the wet season.
Botanical significance
These are coastal inselbergs with a patch of lowland forest. The large inselberg is one of the tallest in Guinée Maritime. Both the large and small inselbergs have a population of Raphionacme caerulea (EN). The smaller inselberg, inhabited by the local community until recently, is degraded and less diverse in species and microhabitats. The inselberg lowland forest patch has large populations of Tarenna hutchinsonii (CR), Stylochaeton pilosus (EN), and Marsdenia exellii (EN). The Tarenna hutchinsonii population has the highest genetic diversity known in this species. The Marsdenia exellii population is also genetically diverse. Nine out of the ten known African inselberg microhabitats are present, including seepage areas rich in Utricularia spp, Xyris spp. and Eriocaulaceae spp., wet flush vegetation, and Afrotrilepis pilosa mats.
Habitat and geology
Coastal granite-dolerite outcrop amongst recent alluvial deposits. Both inselbergs interface with mangroves. There are several microhabitats present on the inselbergs, giving rise to different species assemblages. Flat areas and shallow depressions are dominated by grasses (e.g. Loudetiopsis tristachyoides) and sedges in the wet season with globally threatened small herbs such as Mesanthemum albidum, and Raphionacme caerulea.
Conservation issues
The inselberg was quarried in the past for building materials. More recently about half the inselberg was destroyed to facilitate port building activities by Rio Tinto/Simfer. In 2013, however the most important part of the large inselberg for plant conservation was conserved, yet there are concerns that this may be degraded or lost if Simfer passes management control to another company.
Deliberate burning of the inselberg vegetation by the local community occurred in 2018. Previously local people would not have entered the forest patch, as it was sacred, but when they acquired he site Rio Tinto/Simfer arranged to deconsecrate it. Since Simfer is not currently active at the site, there is no presence to act as a deterrent to local people accessing the forest. The current status of the inselbergs and forest patch is not clear. Simfer does not have the right to prevent community access to the area (e.g. people traversing the area to get to fields) and the local authorities are not able to provide adequate policing of the area. As a result, burning of the vegetation and illegal wood cutting have taken place. Grazing and trampling of Conservation Priority Species by cattle has also been observed.
In 2018, Sensitization of the riparian community to the protection of inselbergs took place and
Involvement of technical services (Water and Forests, Environment, OGUIDAP) and NGOs have begun to implement sustainable conservation measures.
Site assessor(s)
Assessed by:
Charlotte Couch, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Denise Molmou, Herbier National de Guinee/ Simfer
Martin Cheek, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Salim Kouyate, Simfer
IPA criterion A species
| Species | Qualifying sub-criterion | ≥ 1% of global population | ≥ 5% of national population | 1 of 5 best sites nationally | Entire global population | Socio-economically important | Abundance at site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raphionacme caerulea E.A.Bruce | A(i) |  |
 |
|
|
|
Scarce |
| Tarenna hutchinsonii Bremek. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Frequent |
| Marsdenia exellii C.E.Norman | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Frequent |
| Stylochaeton pilosus Bogner | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Frequent |
| Dilophotriche occidentalis Jacq.-Fél. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Frequent |
| Mesanthemum albidum Lecomte | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Frequent |
Raphionacme caerulea E.A.Bruce
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Scarce
Tarenna hutchinsonii Bremek.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Frequent
Marsdenia exellii C.E.Norman
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Frequent
Stylochaeton pilosus Bogner
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Frequent
Dilophotriche occidentalis Jacq.-Fél.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Frequent
Mesanthemum albidum Lecomte
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Frequent
IPA criterion C qualifying habitats
| Habitat | Qualifying sub-criterion | ≥ 5% of national resource | ≥ 10% of national resource | 1 of 5 best sites nationally | Areal coverage at site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granite Inselbergs | C(iii) | |
|
|
Granite Inselbergs
Qualifying sub-criterion:
C(iii)
≥ 5% of national resource:
≥ 10% of national resource:
Areal coverage at site:
General site habitats
| General site habitat | Percent coverage | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest | |
Minor |
| Rocky Areas - Rocky Areas [e.g. inland cliffs, mountain peaks] | |
Major |
Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Minor
Rocky Areas - Rocky Areas [e.g. inland cliffs, mountain peaks]
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Major
Land use types
| Land use type | Percent coverage | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Harvesting of wild resources | |
Minor |
| Extractive industry | |
Major |
| Agriculture (pastoral) | |
Minor |
Harvesting of wild resources
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Minor
Extractive industry
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Major
Agriculture (pastoral)
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Minor
Threats
| Threat | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture - Livestock farming & ranching - Nomadic grazing | Medium | Ongoing - stable |
| Biological resource use - Gathering terrestrial plants - Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Medium | Ongoing - increasing |
| Biological resource use - Logging & wood harvesting - Intentional use: large scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Medium | Ongoing - increasing |
| Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying | High | Past, likely to return |
Agriculture & aquaculture - Livestock farming & ranching - Nomadic grazing
Severity:
Medium
Timing:
Ongoing - stable
Biological resource use - Gathering terrestrial plants - Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target)
Severity:
Medium
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing
Biological resource use - Logging & wood harvesting - Intentional use: large scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest]
Severity:
Medium
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing
Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying
Severity:
High
Timing:
Past, likely to return
Management type
| Management type | Description | Year started | Year finished |
|---|---|---|---|
| No management plan in place | |
|
No management plan in place
Year started:
Year finished:
Bibliography
Threatened plants species of Guinea-Conakry: A preliminary checklist
Peerj Preprints
IUCN Red List
Plant and Microhabitat Field Guide: The Moofanyi inselberg in the Rio Tinto Port area, Guinea (Conakry). Prepared for Rio Tinto by RBG Kew.
Botanical Baseline Survey for the Rio Tinto Port Area, Guinea (Conakry): A Preliminary Report of the Moofanyi Inselbergs, 5th-7th May 2012. Report for Rio Tinto/SNC-Lavalin
Botanical Baseline Survey: Coastal inselbergs in Guinea (Conakry). Version 1.1. RBG report to Rio Tinto/SNC-Lavalin.
10.1 West African Inselberg Vegetation
Ecological Studies, Vol 146, page(s) 177-211
Vegetation of rock outcrops in Guinea: granite inselbergs, sandstone table mountains and ferricretes – remarks on species numbers and endemism.
Flora, Vol 189, page(s) 315-326
Inselbergs: biotic diversity of isolated rock outcrops in tropical and temperate regions.
Recommended citation
Charlotte Couch, Denise Molmou, Martin Cheek, Salim Kouyate (2025) Tropical Important Plant Areas Explorer: Moofanyi Inselbergs (Guinea). https://tipas.kew.org/site/moofanyi-inselbergs/ (Accessed on 18/03/2025)