Dipcadi concanense

The species has only 2–3 remaining dense subpopulations in north and south Ratnagiri (more than 50 plants/ square meter and 1,000 or more plants in mass blooming). Other subpopulations are small (50 or less plants in scattered clumps). The flowers are pollinated by a Sphingid moth species which limits cross pollination over large distances. The seeds are large and do not disperse over large distances. More than 80% of the subpopulations occur as clumps widely separate by 2-50 kilometers. The large and continuous populations are now rare and are separated by a distance of more than 20 km, indicating severe fragmentation. Dipcadi concanense population is severely fragmented as the chances of germplasm exchange between the various subpopulations are extremely limited.  

Field studies and experimental cultivation of Dipcadi concanense indicated that seeds germinate almost immediately and produce a tuber which then undergoes dormancy and sprouts during the rainy season. Reliable estimate of first flowering in natural condition is not available. In ex-situ cultivation first flowering occurred around the 5^th year, but it is likely to be less than 5 years in natural conditions and most likely to be 1–2 years. There is no reliable estimate of age to which the bulbs survive in natural or experimental conditions. To estimate the generation length we used the formula: generation length=age at first reproduction + [Z *(length of the reproductive period) ]. Calculations carried out using variable values for age of first reproduction (1–5 years), length of reproductive period (1–10 years) and z= 0.16–0.33 as proxy based upon values for different plant species given by Fung and Waples (2017). All the estimates for generation length are less than 3 years. Hence population reduction is measured over 10 years (longer than 3 generation length value) following the IUCN guidelines for the use of criteria A.