Hypolytrum mauritianum

The areas in which the species is mainly distributed, such as the evergreen humid forests, have always been susceptible to slash and burn cultivation. On Réunion, most of the remaining larger habitat blocks are found at higher elevations. In the lowlands, forest habitat is largely restricted to the steep banks of rivers. On Mauritius, most of the remaining habitats are found in the southwest, around the Black River Gorge (WCMC 1993). Introduced animals are especially problematic, such as introduced grazers and herbivores. In addition to the threats from introduced animals, lowland habitats and endemic plant species are destroyed for agricultural conversion, and alien plants invade native habitats.

Even though there are patches of lowland forest occurring inside protected areas, most of them are poorly protected, due to lack of logistic and financial resources, poorly marked and managed boundaries, inadequately trained staff and increasing pressure from farming communities around the reserves.

There are no known conservation measures specifically for this species, but it is known to grow in some protected areas: Réserve Spéciale de Manongarivo and Masoala National Park (Madagascar); Bel Ombre Forets Reserve (UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve; Black River Gorges National Park, Mauritius). It has been listed as Rare in the 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants (Walter and Gillett 1998).