Goetzea elegans – Endangered (EN)
Goetzea elegans is a species from the family Goetzeaceae. Known as beautiful goetzea, mata buey, or matabuey, it is endemic to Puerto Rico.
This species is a shrub or a tree. It can reach up to 9 m in height. Its trunk has a diameter of about 12-13 cm. It has shiny elliptical dark green leaves. The flowers of the Goetzea elegans are colored in yellow-orange. They are funnel-shaped and rise solitary from the base of the leaves. The fruit of this species is a yellow-orange berry. The berry can reach up to 2.5 cm length. It may be poisonous.
The Goetzea elegans requires limestone forests. It is only found today in the Isabela area in the in north-west of Puerto Rico.
Threats for the existence of the Goetzea elegans are the road widening, pipe-laying, deforestation and construction, as well as the predation of flowers.
Pleodendron macranthum – Critically Endangered (CR)
Pleodendron macranthum is a species from the family Canellaceae. Known as Chupacallos, it is endemic to Puerto Rico.
This rare evergreen tree reaches a height of about 10 m. Its trunk has a diameter of 20 cm. Its wood is light in color and very hard. The leaves are leathery. They are 12.5 cm long and 5 cm wide. The blades are dark green, shiny, and smooth on the edges. The flowers of the Chupacallos occur singly in the leaf axils. Each flower is about 2 cm wide and has 12 petals. The fruit ripens purple-black and is about 2 cm wide.
This species prefer moist submontane forest. Today the only places that meet their requirements are El Yunque and Río Abajo State Park.
Major threat for the plant is the deforestation and habitat modification in the forests of Puerto Rico.