Distribution, Conservation Status and List of Durio Adans (Malvaceae) in Southeast Asia: A Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31958/js.v18i1.16539Abstract
The genus Durio Adans. (Malvaceae) includes ecologically, economically, and culturally significant tropical trees primarily in Southeast Asia. However, knowledge remains constrained by taxonomic confusion, incomplete conservation assessments, and scattered biodiversity records. This review synthesizes current information on taxonomy, distribution, edibility, and conservation status using published literature and global databases (POWO, IUCN, GBIF) up to January 2026. A total of 43 species names have been reported from Asia, but after accounting for synonymy and genus transfers, only 31 species are taxonomically valid, with 29 recognized in POWO. Species richness centers on the Malesian region, particularly Borneo (20 species), Malay Peninsula (14 species), and Sumatra (8 species). Mainland Southeast Asia supports fewer taxa, including Thailand (4 species) and Myanmar (3 species). Endemism is high: 21 species are restricted to single regions, with 14 endemic to Borneo. At least 18 species produce edible fruits, though commercial cultivation is dominated by D. zibethinus, while several wild species remain locally utilized or underexploited. Conservation assessments reveal elevated extinction risk: eight species are Vulnerable, seven Near Threatened, five Endangered, and seven Least Concern. Several taxa remain Data Deficient or Not Evaluated. Analysis of GBIF records shows occurrence data are dominated by historical collections, with few recent records, complicating population status assessments. These findings emphasize the need for integrative taxonomy, updated field surveys, ethnobotanical documentation, and multigene molecular analyses to improve biodiversity assessment and conservation planning for Durio in Southeast Asia.
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