Acalypha tunguraguae
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Acalypha tunguraguae faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching in Ecuador's Tungurahua Province, where its montane forest habitat is being rapidly converted. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment the remaining forest patches where this endemic shrub persists. The species' extremely limited geographic range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized habitat destruction and climate-induced shifts in montane forest zones.
Habitat
This endemic Ecuadorian shrub inhabits montane cloud forests and forest edges in the Tungurahua Province, typically occurring at elevations between 1,800-2,500 meters. It grows in humid, nutrient-rich soils along forest margins and in secondary growth areas within the Andean montane forest ecosystem.