Acer hilaense
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Acer hilaense faces severe population decline due to its extremely restricted range in the mountainous regions of China, where habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and infrastructure development has fragmented remaining populations. The species is particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts at high elevations, with shifting temperature and precipitation patterns threatening its specialized montane habitat requirements. Overcollection for horticultural purposes has further reduced wild populations of this rare maple.
Habitat
Acer hilaense inhabits montane forests and rocky slopes at high elevations in the mountainous regions of China. The species typically grows in cool, moist conditions on steep terrain with well-drained soils, often associated with other endemic montane flora.
