Musa splendida

Specific threats to this species have not been documented, however, its native range is thought to fall entirely within the Northern Indochina subtropical forests ecoregion, as delineated by Olson et al. (2001). Forests in Viet Nam have been extensively cleared, and only very small fragments on steep mountainsides remain in this heavily cultivated area (MacKinnon 1997, S. Kallow pers. comm. 2020). The major threats to biodiversity in the Vietnamese part of the ecoregion are presented by land clearing for small-holder cultivation, particularly rice and cinnamon, and logging. Although human population density is low, cultivation in steep and unproductive land accounts for large-scale forest clearing (Carpenter et al. 2001, S. Kallow pers. comm. 2020). The specific impact of deforestation on members of the Musa genus is somewhat difficult to quantify: while clear-felling or land conversion is likely to be detrimental to the species, wild bananas spring up in transient, often man-made, habitats and thus may benefit from human disturbance to some extent (Simmonds 1962). Given its reported historical and contemporary abundance (Chevalier 1934, G. Sachter-Smith pers. comm. 2019), it is suspected that the species may be fairly resilient to threats, however, specimen vouchers from collections of this species have not detailed disturbed habitats. As such, research into the scale and severity of threats affecting the species, and its response to disturbance, is recommended.

The genus Musa is listed in Annex I of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) which aims to guarantee sustainable agriculture and food security through the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, as well as ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use (FAO 2009). The species has been collected from the 285.09 km² Hoàng Liên National Park and the 250.94 km² Hoàng Liên-Văn Bàn Nature Reserve, so passive conservation is presumed within these areas (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2020); it is unclear whether active management is practised. The species is not known to be conserved ex situ (Ruas et al. 2017, BGCI 2020, Genesys Global Portal on Plant Genetic Resources 2020). As such, gathering of wild germplasm material for ex situ conservation from extant wild plants is highly recommended.