''Manilkara mayarensis'' is a plant species in the family of sapodillas, which grows wild only in Cuba's

Oriente Province Oriente (, "East") was the easternmost province of Cuba until 1976. The term "Oriente" is still used to refer to the eastern part of the country, which currently is divided into five different provinces. Fidel and Raúl Castro were born in a sm ...

. Here its members range in scale from

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s to small trees. Its usual haunts are along creeks, ravines and other naturally formed watercourses within its montane,

serpentine Serpentine may refer to: Shapes * Serpentine shape, a shape resembling a serpent * Serpentine curve, a mathematical curve * Serpentine, a type of riding figure Science and nature * Serpentine subgroup, a group of minerals * Serpentinite, a ...

shrubwood habitat.

Threats

Mineral interests have often been favored over conservation considerations, and the result has meant a kind of self-perpetuating cycle of diminishing returns for both. That is to say, permanent

loss of habitat Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

is related directly to the further scarcity of the mineral resources in the mountains where ''M. mayerensis'' live, which is caused, yet also spurred on by, an ever greater drive to obtain said minerals.

References

mayarensis Plants described in 1925 Endangered plants Endemic flora of Cuba Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Sapotaceae-stub