Afrothismia fungiformis

The first collection of this species was from the south-west slope of Mount Kupe, above the village of Mbule. This location is threatened by encroaching agriculture and logging which has occurred on all slopes (Bowden 2001, Fotso et al. 2001). Illegal logging for local construction and charcoal production occurs across Mount Kupe and is likely to increase as populated areas expand (PNDP 2011, Google Earth 2020). Encroachment of slash and burn agriculture from surrounding towns such as Tombel and Nyasoso has also been increasing (Bowden 2001, PNDP 2011). The primary cash crops within the area include cocoa, cassava and plantain (PNDP 2011). Forest clearance for agriculture has been reported up to 1,100 m asl on the north, west and south-west slopes of Mount Kupe (Birdlife International 2020). This species has been collected at elevations between 846 and 966m asl, suggesting that this species is likely to be impacted by the threat of slash and burn agriculture. To support the income from shifting agriculture, communities are known to exploit the forest at this location for non-timber products such as Garcinia kola which is used for its traditional medicinal properties (Ngane et al. 2012). Prunus africana is also exploited for the pharmaceutical industry where the extraction process damages the surrounding forest and often kills the P. africana trees (Cheek et al. 2004, Bowden 2001). The practice of shifting agriculture and exploitation of G. kola and P. africana at this location is likely to be degrading the habitat of this species. On the other hand, Mount Kupe is a revered site and has historically been protected because of its cultural importance to the Bakossi people (Bowden 2001, Cheek et al. 2004). 

The second and most recent collection of this species is from Ebo Forest, a formerly proposed National Park, in the Littoral Region of Cameroon. The forest is threatened by logging, slash and burn agriculture, oil palm and open cast mining (Mowbray 2017, Cheek et al. 2018, Mahmoud et al. 2020). The proposed National Park boundary is surrounded by extensive logging concessions which will undoubtedly impact the biodiversity within Ebo forest (Global Forest Watch 2020). In 2020, the Cameroon government suspended logging concession plans for Ebo forest suggesting there is hope yet for the National Park designation but its future remains uncertain (Mowbray 2017, Alberts 2020). If Ebo Forest is officially designated as a National Park, funding and increased effort in management will be needed to tackle the multitude of threats outlined. Illegal logging within Ebo forest also takes place and is unlikely to cease if Ebo National Park is officially designated (Mowbray 2017). Illegal logging is thought to be the preliminary to more extensive, organised extraction (Mahmoud et al. 2020). This location is also within an iron mining concession and surrounded by mining concessions (Mahmoud et al. 2020, Global Forest Watch 2020). Oil palm is the greatest threat to the Littoral Region of Cameroon (Mahmoud et al. 2020). In 2016, a large expanse of forest west of Ebo forest was converted into an oil palm plantation expected to reach 300,000 ha in size (Mowbray 2017, Hoyle and Levang 2012). It is reported that deforestation for the oil palm plantation began before the consultation process and required surveys were completed and before official permission granted (IDM 2018). A narrow buffer, approximately 5 km from the proposed national park boundary, around the plantation is in place but is unlikely to prevent encroachment and exploitation of the proposed national park area (Mowbray 2017, IDM 2018). The plantation's development plans are not publicly available (IDM 2018). The ambiguity of the plantation plans, alongside the lack of protection and management of Ebo forest, makes encroachment from the oil palm plantation likely to go unnoticed, much like the illegal bushmeat trade and logging (Casey and Elias 2015). The increased development within the Ebo forest area, such as the establishment of oil palm plantations and logging concessions, has resulted in the further development of road networks and an increase in inhabited areas (Mahmoud et al. 2020). The surrounding villages contribute to shifting agriculture and the collection of non-timber forest products, both of which are prevalent at this location (Cheek et al. 2001, Morgan et al. 2011, Abwe et al. 2020).

There are currently no known ex situ conservation sites for this species (BGCI 2020). However, this species occurs within the area of a proposed Important Plant Area and the formerly proposed Ebo National Park (Cheek et al. 2017, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC 2020). To secure conservation efforts here, official designation of Ebo National Park is advised. As well as the National Park designation, research into this species' distribution, population status and trends, and life history and ecology is highly recommended.