Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Wetmore, A. 1922. Bird remains from the Box 491, Boquerón, Puerto Rico 00622(809/ Part 17—LAMENDED]
caves of Porto Rico. Bull. Amer. Mus. 851—7297).
Nat. Hist. 46:297—333. 1. The authority citation for part 17
Wetmore, A. 1927. The Birds of Porto Rico List ofSubjects in 50 CFR Part 17 continues to read as follows:
and the Virgin Islands. Scientific Survey Authority~16 U.S.C. 1361—1407; 16 U.S.C.
of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Endangered and threatened species,
Exports, Imports, ReportAng and 1531—1544; 16 U.S.C. 4201—4245; Pub. L. 99—
Vol. IX. New York Academy ofSciences. 625, 100 Stat. 3500; unless otherwise noted.
New York. U.S.A. recordkeeping requirements, and
Wiley, J.W., and G.P. Bauer. 1985. Caribbean Transportation. 2. Amend § 17.11(h) by adding the
National Forest, Puerto Rico. American following, in alphabetical order under
Birds 39:12—18. Regulation Promulgation “BIRDS,” to the List of Endangered and
Accordingly, part 17, subchapter B of Threatened Wildlife, to read as follows:
Author
chapter I, title 50 of the Code of Federal § 17.11 Endangered and threatened
The primary author of this proposed rule wHdllfe.
is Ms. Marelisa Rivera, Caribbean Field Regulations is amended as set forth
Office. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. below: * * * * *
(h)* * *
Birds:
Dated: August 26, 1994. other two species, but it also has been Alain Liogier in 1982 and again by
Moffie H. Beattie, reported from one other island, Saba, in George R. Proctor and Miguel Canals in
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service. the Lesser Antilles. These species are 1987. The species has never been found
[FR Doc. 94—22369 Filed 9—8—94; 8:45 am] variously threatened by road at any other location but the type
B~LUNGCODE 4310-65-P construction, recreational activities, locality. At this locality, it is found
wildflres, and land clearing associated along an unpaved road, growing on dry
with development for agriculture and exposed gravel. Approximately 1,443
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR other purposes. This final rule provides plants, including mature flowering
M. maxwellioe, M. polycladus and E. individuals and seedlings, were counted
Fish and Wildlife Service woodburyana with the Federal within an area of about 7,500 square
protection and recoveryprovisions meters (697 square feet) (Proctor 1991a).
5OCFRPart17 \cto afforded by the Act for listed species. Mitracurpus maxwelljae is a low,
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 11, 1994. densely-branching, moundlike shrub
RIN 1018—AC17 which may reach approximately 20
ADDRESSES: The complete file for this
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife rule is available for inspection, by centimeters (8 in~ches(in)) in height.
and Plants; Determination of appointment, during normal business The somewhat woody branches are
striate and sharply 4-angled. The leaves
Endangered Status for Three Puerto hours, at the Caribbean Field Office,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box are opposite, sessile, linear or linear-
Rican Plants
491, Boquerón, Puerto Rico 00622; and lanceolate, densely scabrous, and from I
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, at the Service’s Southeast Regional to 3 centimeters (.4 to 1 in) long and 2
Interior. Office, 1875 Century Boulevard, to 5 millimeters (.01 to .2 in) wide. The
ACTION: Final rule. Atlanta, Georgia 30345. flower heads are terminal, dense, sub-
globose, and from .8 to 1.3 centimeters
SUMMARY: The Service determines FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. (.3 to .5 in) in diameter. The corolla is
Mitracarpus maxwelliae (no common Susan Silander at the Caribbean Field white, narrowly fuxinelfonn, minutely
name), Mitracarpus palycladus (no Office address (809/851—7297) or Mr. glandular-papillose, 5 to 6 millimeters
common name), and Eugenia Dave Flemming at the Atlanta Regional (.20 to .23 in) long. The capsule is about
woodhuryana (no common name) to be Office address (404/679—7096). 1.5 millimeters (.06 in) in diameter,
endangered species pursuant to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: opening by a transverse circular split at
Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, about the middle, The seeds are
as amended. M. maxweiliae, a small Background ellipsoid, brownish-black, and 1.2
shrub, and E. woodburyana, a small Mitracarpus rnaxwelliae was millimeters (.05 in) long and .8
evergreen tree, are endemic to discovered on March 8, 1925, by millimeter (.03 in) wide.
southwestern Puerto Rico. Al. Nathaniel L. Britton on a limestone hill Mitracorpus polycladus was first
polycladus is a small shrub found in the in the municipality of Guãnica, Puerto discovered growing on coastal rocks
same general area of Puerto Rico as the Rico. The site was later rediscovered by near Cafia Gorda, Gudnica, Puerto Rico,
46716 Federal Register / Vol. 59, No. 174 / Friday, September 9, 1994 / Rules and Regulations
in 1886 by Paul Sintenls. Itwas also report prepared by the Smithsonian accordance with Section 41b1(3fl0)(ii) of
located on the island of Saba in the Institution as directed by section 12 of the Act.
lesser Antilles by the Dutch botanist the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
Boldingh (note: the table eniry for the The report was presented to Congress in Summary of Comments and
Recommendations
proposed rule did not include Saba in 1975 as House Docum~itNo. 94—51.
the historic range; the tableis corrected The species were~subsequenflyincluded In the January 3, 1994, proposed rule
for this final rule). Today it continues to among the plants being considered as and associated notifications, all
be known from only these two locations, endangered or threatened by the interested parties were requested to
where it grows in crevices and soil Service, as published in the Federal subaüt factual reports of information
pockets of coastal rocks in arid areas. Register notice of review dated that might contribute to the
Exact numbers of individuals have been December 15, 1980 (45 FR 82480); the development of a final rule. Appropriate
difficult to estimate due to extreme November 28, 1983 update (48 FR agencies of the Commonwealth of
drought conditions in recent years 53680), the revised notice of September Puerto Rico, Federal agencies, scientific
(Proctor i99ib). 27, 1985 (50 FR 39526), and the organizations and other interested
Mitraca.rpus polycladus is a February 21, 1990 (55 FR 6184) notice parties were contacted and requested to
suifrutescent perennial. It is branched of review. In the February 21, 1990, comment. A newspaper notice inviting
near the base, and the erect or spreading notice, M. maxwelliae was designated as general public comment was published
stems may reach up to 45 centimeters a category I species (a species for which in the “San Juan Star” on January 22,
(18 in) in heighL The branches are 4- the Service has substantial information 1994, and in “El DIa” on January 24,
angled and glabrous. Leaves are supporting the appropriateness of 1994. Two letters of comment were
opposite, linear to linear-lanceolate, 2 to proposing to list them as endangered or received, neither of which opposed the
4.5 centimeters (.9 to 1.8 in) long, .3 to threatened) and M. polycladus as a listing. The Puerto Rico Department of
.5 centimeters (.12 to .20 in) wide, category 2 species (taxa for which there Natural and Environmental Resources
glabrous and often with an inrolled is some evidence of vulnerability, but supported the listing and provided
margin and decurrent base. The for which there was not enough data to additional information on threats to the
th.florescence is terminal and capitate, 8 support listing). Eugenia woodburyana species in the Sierra Bermeja. A public
to 13 millimeters (.31 to .51 in) in was included as a category 2 candidate hearing was neither requested nor held.
diameter, many flowered and subtended for listing in the September 30, 1993, Summary of Factors Affecting the
by 3 bracht-like leaves. The corolla is plant notice of review. It has been Species
white, about 5 millimeters (.20 in) long, included in the Center for Plant
with ovate leaves. The seed capsule is Conservation’s Report on Rare Plants in After a thorough review and
1.5 millimeter (.06 in) in diameter, Puerto Rico (Center for Plant consideration of all information
splitting open transversely below the Conservation 1992) as a taxa which may available, the Service has determined
middle, and contains black seeds. become extinct within the next 10 years. that Mitracarpus mwcwelliae, M.
Eugenia woodburyana, a small All three species are considered to be polycladus and Eugenia woodburyana
evergreen tree, is endemic to Puerto critical plants by the Natural Heritage should be classified as endangered
Rico and currently known from only the Program of the Puerto Rico Department species. Procedures found at Section
Sierra Bermeja in the municipalities of of Natural Resources (Department of 4(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act
Cabo Rojo and Lajas and from the Natural Resources 1993). (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and regulations
Guánica Commonwealth Forest in Based on status surveys reports (50 CFR part 424) promulgated to
Guánica, all in southwestern Puerto completed in 1991, and in conjunction implement the listing provisions of the
Rico. An additional individual has been with other recent field work, the Service Act were followed. A species may be
reported from the Cabo Rojo National recently reclassified Mitracarpus determined to be endangered or
Wildlife Refuge, in Cabo Rojo, adjacent polycladus and Eugenia woodburyana threatened due to one or more of the
to the Sierra Berrneja. Approximately 45 as category I candidates. five factors described in section 4(a)(1).
individuals are known from these three Section 4(b)(3)(B) of the Act, as These factors and their application to
locations. The species was only recently amended in 1982, requires the Secretary Mitracarpus maxwelliae Britton &
discovered and described by Alain to make findings on certain pending Wilson, Alitracarpus polycladus Uthan
Liogier (Liogier 1980). petitions within 12 months of their and Eugenia woodbwyana Alain are as
Eugenia woodburvana may reach 6 receipt. Section 2(b)(l) of the 1982 follows:
meters (20.0 feet) in height. The leaves Amendments further requires that all A. The present or threatened
are opposite, obovate, pilose on both petitions pending on October 13, 1982, destruction, modification, or
sides, glandular-punctate below, and be treated as having been newly curtailment of its habitat or range. In the
from 1.5 to 2 centimeters (.6 to .8 in) submitted on that date. This was the Sierra Bermeja, Eugenia woodburyana is
long and 1 to 1.5 (.4 to .6 in) centimeters case for Mitracarpus maxweliiae and M. found on privately owned land subject
wide. The inflorescence is axillary, 2 to polycladus, because the Service had to intense pressure for agricultural, rural
5 flowered and with a peduncle I to 3 accepted the 1975 Smithsonian report as and tourist development. The land is
millimeters (.04 to .12 in) long. The a petition. In each October from 1983 currently being cleared for grazing by
calyx is 4-lobed and the petals are through 1992, the Service has found that cattle and goats. Adjacent land is being
white, 4 millimeters (.12 in) long and the petitioned listing of these species subdivided for sale in small farms, some
3.5 m.iilimeters (.14 in) wide. The was warranted but precluded by other destined for touiist and urban
striking fruit is red upon maturity, 8- listing actions of a higher priority, and development. Offroad vehicles used in
winged and 2 centimeters (.8 in) in that additional data on vulnerability and these areas may affect seedling
diameter. threats were still being gathered. A recruitment. All three species are also
proposed rule to list M. maxweliiae, M. found within the Gudnica
Previous Federal Action polycladus and Eugenia woodburyana, Commonwealth Forest; however,
Mitracarpus maxweliiae and published on January 3, 1994 (59 FR Mitracarpus maxwelliae and
Mitracarpus polycladus were 44), constituted the final I-year finding Mitracarpus polycladus are found along
recommended for Federal listing in a for the Mitracarpus species in infrequently used roadways where they
Federal Register / Vol. 59, No. 174 / Friday, Septen~ber9, 1994 / Rules and Regulations 46717
Species Crai I c pc a
Historic range Status When listed ~,
a a rues
Scientific name Common name
Myrtaceae—Myrtle family: ‘
Eugenia woodburyana ... None U.S.A. (PR) E 551 NA NA
Rubiaceae—Maclder family: