Country: Guinea
Administrative region: Macenta (Prefecture)
Central co-ordinates: 8.52167 N, 9.46306 W
Area: 2km²
Qualifying IPA Criteria
A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species, 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
Mt Wokou is the only known global location for the critically endangered species Loudetiopsis baldwinii (CR) and is under threat from quarrying.
Site description
Mt Wokou is a large granite inselberg located on the southern side of Macenta town, near the N1 road in Macenta Prefecture, Guinee Forestière. It is the largest inselberg in the area.
Botanical significance
The inselberg has one point endemic species Loudetiopsis baldwinii, which is Critically Endangered and several threatened species. The inselberg has not been surveyed comprehensively and it is likely that other interesting species will be found with more investigation.
Habitat and geology
The inselberg is a result of a Mesozoic igneous intrusion into the surrounding older Archean metamorphic base rocks. It is part of a band on igneous intrusions, perhaps a sill or dyke which runs northeast-southwest into Sierra Leone.
Conservation issues
There is are granite quarries established on the southwestern and southeastern edge of the inselberg which poses a significant threat to the habitat.
Site assessor(s)
Charlotte Couch, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Martin Cheek, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loudetiopsis baldwinii C.E.Hubb. | A(i) |  |
|
|
|
 |
Unknown |
| Utricularia macrocheilos (P.Taylor) P.Taylor | A(i), A(iii) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Genlisea barthlottii S.Porembski, Eb.Fisch. & Gemmel | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Osbeckia praviantha Jacq.-Fél. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
Loudetiopsis baldwinii C.E.Hubb.
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:
Unknown
Utricularia macrocheilos (P.Taylor) P.Taylor
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i), A(iii)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Genlisea barthlottii S.Porembski, Eb.Fisch. & Gemmel
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:
Unknown
Osbeckia praviantha 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:
Unknown
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) | |
|
|
2 |
Granite Inselbergs
Qualifying sub-criterion:
C(iii)
≥ 5% of national resource:
≥ 10% of national resource:
Areal coverage at site:
2
General site habitats
| General site habitat | Percent coverage | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky Areas - Rocky Areas [e.g. inland cliffs, mountain peaks] | |
Major |
Rocky Areas - Rocky Areas [e.g. inland cliffs, mountain peaks]
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Major
Land use types
| Land use type | Percent coverage | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Extractive industry | |
Minor |
Extractive industry
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Minor
Threats
| Threat | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying | High | Ongoing - increasing |
Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying
Severity:
High
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing
Bibliography
Flore (Angiospermes) de la République de Guinée.
Threatened plants species of Guinea-Conakry: A preliminary checklist
Peerj Preprints
IUCN Red List
Recommended citation
Charlotte Couch, Martin Cheek (2024) Tropical Important Plant Areas Explorer: Mt Wokou (Guinea). https://tipas.kew.org/site/mt-wokou/ (Accessed on 27/07/2024)