Background Hybridization is an evolutionary event present in the natural world. Several studies suggest that natural hybridization is an important process in plant evolution, creating new genetic combinations which can play a vital role in speciation (Soltis and Soltis 2009, Soltis 2013, Neri et al. 2017, Taylor and Larson 2019). Therefore, it is important to understand and protect naturally occurring hybrids, conserving their ecological novelties and new traits, such as the ability to explore new niches, different from those of the parental species (Soltis 2013, Supple and Shapiro 2018). The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a UK Overseas Territory situated in the Caribbean biodiversity hotspot (Myers et al. 2000). To date, three natural hybrids are known to occur within this territory: Tillandsia × lineatispica Mez, Anthurium × selloanum K.Koch and Coccoloba krugii × C. uvifera R.A.Howard (Howard 1957, Acevedo-Rodriguez and Strong 2005, Acevedo-Rodriguez and Strong 2012). Tillandsia × lineatispica is endemic to the Puerto Rican Bank, occurring in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands (USVI) and the British Virgin Islands with an extent of occurrence estimated to be 3,390 km2 and a limited number of locations. The suitable habitat for this hybrid is declining mainly due to the negative impacts of feral ungulates, development for tourism and residential infrastructure and the impact of human-induced wildfires. In addition, it is suspected that the global population does not exceed 10,000 individuals with the largest subpopulation on Beef Island in the BVI thought to have no more than 1,000 mature individuals. This hybrid is therefore evaluated as Vulnerable, based on IUCN Red List Criteria, B1a(iii)+2b(iii) + C2a(i). Anthurium × selloanum is an endemic hybrid to BVI and USVI with a very restricted extent of occurrence which was estimated to range between 103 km2 and 207 km2 and an area of occupancy which was estimated to range between 56 km2 and 188 km2 and a limited number of locations. The suitable habitat of this species is declining mainly due to the negative impacts of feral ungulates, development for tourism and residential infrastructure and the negative impact of recreation activities in protected areas. This species is therefore evaluated as Endangered, based on IUCN Red List Criteria B1a+ b(iii) + B2a+b(iii). Coccoloba krugii × C. uvifera is native to the BVI, USVI, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Anguilla. It is estimated to have an extent of occurrence of 89,412 km2. This value exceeds the threshold for any threatened category. Despite an observed continuing decline of suitable habitat for this species, which is being degraded mainly through ongoing development pressures, this species occurs in more than 10 locations. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern (LC). New information In this paper, we discuss the conservation status of all the known, naturally occurring, native hybrids in the the British Virgin Islands and we provide distribution data, including new records, from across these hybrid species ranges. Although conservation assessments of hybrids are out of the scope of the published IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2019), we use the IUCN Red List Criteria and Categories (version 3.1) to establish an equivalent conservation status of these hybrids and discuss conservation action due to the potential evolutionary importance of these naturally occurring hybrids. These assessments provide the necessary baseline information for prioritising species conservation and making informed management decisions, such as establishing the BVI's Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPAS) network (Sanchez et al. 2019).

中文翻译：

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英属维尔京群岛本土植物杂交种的保护现状

背景杂交是自然界中存在的进化事件。几项研究表明，自然杂交是植物进化中的一个重要过程，它创造了新的基因组合，在物种形成中发挥着至关重要的作用（Soltis 和 Soltis 2009、Soltis 2013、Neri 等人 2017、Taylor 和 Larson 2019）。因此，重要的是了解和保护自然产生的杂交种，保护它们的生态新颖性和新特性，例如探索不同于亲本物种的新生态位的能力（Soltis 2013，Supple 和 Shapiro 2018）。英属维尔京群岛 (BVI) 是位于加勒比生物多样性热点地区的英国海外领土（Myers et al. 2000）。迄今为止，已知在该地区出现了三种天然杂交种：Tillandsia × lineatispica Mez、Athurium × selloanum K。Koch 和 Coccoloba krugii × C. uvifera RAHoward（Howard 1957、Acevedo-Rodriguez 和 Strong 2005、Acevedo-Rodriguez 和 Strong 2012）。Tillandsia × lineatispica 是波多黎各银行的特有种，发生在波多黎各、美属维尔京群岛 (USVI) 和英属维尔京群岛，发生范围估计为 3,390 平方公里，地点数量有限。这种杂交的适宜栖息地正在减少，主要是由于野生有蹄类动物的负面影响、旅游和住宅基础设施的发展以及人为野火的影响。此外，怀疑全球人口不超过 10,000 人，其中 BVI 牛肉岛上最大的亚种群被认为不超过 1,000 名成熟个体。因此，这种混合体被评估为易受伤害，基于 IUCN 红色名录标准，B1a(iii)+2b(iii) + C2a(i)。Anthurium × selloanum 是 BVI 和 USVI 的地方性杂交种，发生范围非常有限，估计在 103 平方公里和 207 平方公里之间，占有面积估计在 56 平方公里和 188 平方公里之间，数量有限地点。该物种的适宜栖息地正在减少，主要是由于野生有蹄类动物的负面影响、旅游和住宅基础设施的发展以及保护区内娱乐活动的负面影响。因此，根据 IUCN 红色名录标准 B1a+ b(iii) + B2a+b(iii)，该物种被评估为濒危物种。Coccoloba krugii × C. uvifera 原产于英属维尔京群岛、USVI、波多黎各、多米尼加共和国、海地和安圭拉。估计其发生范围为 89,412 平方公里。此值超过任何受威胁类别的阈值。尽管观察到该物种的适宜栖息地持续减少，主要由于持续的发展压力而退化，但该物种出现在 10 多个地点。因此，它被评估为最不关心 (LC)。新信息 在本文中，我们讨论了英属维尔京群岛所有已知的、天然存在的本地杂交种的保护状况，并提供了这些杂交种范围内的分布数据，包括新记录。虽然杂交种的保护评估超出了已发布的 IUCN 濒危物种红色名录（IUCN 标准和请愿委员会 2019 年）的范围，但我们使用 IUCN 红色名录标准和类别（第 3 版）。1) 建立这些杂种的等效保护状态，并讨论由于这些天然存在的杂种的潜在进化重要性而采取的保护行动。这些评估为优先考虑物种保护和做出明智的管理决策提供了必要的基线信息，例如建立 BVI 的热带重要植物区 (TIPAS) 网络（Sanchez 等人，2019 年）。