A digital multi-access key for easy identification of large tree species of ebony wood in Madagascar.

Abstract

In 2013, all populations of the precious wood genera Dalbergia (Fabaceae) and Diospyros (Ebenaceae) from Madagascar were placed on CITES Appendix II in an effort to combat unsustainable and illicit over-exploitation and illegal exportation for the international market. The accompanying Action Plan adopted by CITES identified several information and capacity gaps, which undermine the sustainable and equitable management of these valuable resources. These gaps include the lack of practical, reliable tools to identify species along the entire value chain, from standing trees to cut wood and finished products. To address this need, we developed simple, user-friendly, multi-access keys for the two genera in Madagascar using the Lucid application. This new tool provides highly accurate identification of standing and felled trees to assist actors in the forestry, regulatory, and natural resource management sectors, including customs officials and law enforcement authorities as well as conservationists and protected area managers. In this paper, we focus on the development of the Diospyros identification tool. This interactive, electronic key employs 109 informative characters, including morphological features, emphasizing vegetative structures such as bark, stems, and leaves that are present even in the absence of flowers and fruits, in conjunction with eco-geographic characters (bioclimate, elevation, and geography). The key is supplemented with photos, illustrations, and a comprehensive glossary, to deliver accurate identification of the 88 Diospyros species that are large enough to be potential sources of commercially valuable ebony wood (≥ 20 cm DBH and/or ≥ 20 m height). This is the first use of Lucid to develop an identification key for species in Madagascar, paving the way for its application to other taxa for which practical electronic field identification is needed.