Anthocleista laxiflora is a climbing shrub or liana up to 10 m tall, known from riverine mature forests, between 14 and 770 m in elevation. The species is endemic to Central Africa, occurring in Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo. It is known from eight collections and one observation (MBG) made between 1862 and 2021, representing nine occurrences and four subpopulations. Considering forest cover, which is still significant in the areas where the species occurs, we do not regard any of these nine occurrences as extirpated. Based on a 2 × 2 km grid cell size, the area of occupancy (AOO) is estimated at 28 km², below the upper threshold for the Endangered category under subcriterion B2, and its extent of occurrence (EOO) has been calculated as 42,570 km², above the upper threshold for the Vulnerable category under subcriterion B1. The occurrence in Equatorial Guinea (Mann 1802) is located within the Estuario del Muni Natural Reserve and does not show any evidence of threat. The occurrence in the Republic of the Congo is located within a logging concession and is threatened by activities linked with logging, inducing a decline in habitat quality. In Gabon, one occurrence (van Valkenburg 3125) was made within the Moukalaba-Doudou National Park and does not show any evidence of threat. Five other occurrences are located within the Monts de Cristal of which two (Breteler 318 and de Wilde WALK-B 304) are located within a logging concession and represent the same location. Three occurrences (Breteler 354, Nguema 3427, and one observation of Missouri Botanical Garden) are located on the banks of the Mbé river within the construction site of a planned hydro-electric project within an area where deforestation is already ongoing and within the projected inundated area. These three occurrences represent the same location, and we expect this location to disappear in the near future. Finally, one occurrence (Wieringa 7750), located on the left bank of the Mbé River, does not show any evidence of threat. As a consequence, these nine occurrences represent six locations (sensu IUCN 2019), with regard to the most serious plausible threat (hydro-electric projects). We observed a continuing decline in the extent and quality of habitat consequently to all the threats above mentioned. We also infer a continuing decline in the AOO, number of locations, and number of mature individuals of this species, due to the ongoing hydro-electric project. This species is therefore assessed as VU B2ab(ii,iii,iv,v).

Anthocleista laxiflora is endemic to Central Africa, occurring in Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo. It is known from eight collections and one observation made between 1862 and 2021. In Gabon, the species is known from five collections and one observation (Breteler 318 and 354, de Wilde WALK-B 304, Wieringa 7750, Nguema 3427, and one observation made by the Missouri Botanical Garden) in the Monts de Cristal in the Estuaire province, and one collection (van Valkenburg 3125) was made within the Moukalaba-Doudou National Park in the Ogooué-Maritime province. In Equatorial Guinea, Mann (1802) made one collection in 1862 on the banks of Kougué river within the Estuario del Muni Natural Reserve. Finally, one collection (Sita 4113) was made in the Niari region in the Republic of the Congo. It should be sought in South Cameroon in areas such as in the Campo Ma'an National Park.

There is no information on the population size of this species.

Anthocleista laxiflora is a climbing shrub or liana up to 10 m tall, known from riverine mature forests, between 14 and 770 m in elevation.

Within the Monts de Cristal in Gabon, Anthocleista laxiflora is threatened by activities linked with logging and by a planned hydro-electric project where deforestation is already ongoing. Indeed, three occurrences are expected to disappear in the near future because they are located within the construction site and the projected inundated area of the dam. Moreover, in the Republic of the Congo the species is threatened by activities linked with logging, inducing a decline in habitat quality.

There are no known uses of this species.

Anthocleista laxiflora is known from two protected areas: the Moukalaba-Doudou National Park in Gabon and the Estuario del Muni Natural Reserve in Equatorial Guinea. The species is subject to ex situ conservation as part of the Biodiversity Action Plan of a hydroelectric dam project in Gabon. Indeed, six individuals have been cultivated within the Kinguélé nursery from cuttings. However, the survival rate is very low, with only 33% of individuals that survived after eleven months. Therefore, new ex situ conservation methods should be tested.

Since the species is threatened by a hydroelectric dam project and logging, various other conservation measures should be considered. First, it should be sought in other places, such as Cameroon, to increase knowledge of its full distribution. Second, it should be regarded as an HCV1 species (High Conservation Value), and as a consequence should be included in the management plan of the industrial concessions within which it occurs. Finally, a public awareness campaign must be conducted targeting industrial companies and other private actors, NGOs, scientific institutions, and the governments of Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea to ensure that A. laxiflora is taken into consideration when decisions are made that could impact its conservation.