CR

Aetheolaena hypoleuca

Unknown

Overview

Aetheolaena hypoleuca is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found only in Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-elevation grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Aetheolaena hypoleuca faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in the Ecuadorian Andes. The species' restriction to a few isolated cloud forest fragments makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation from cattle grazing and conversion to pastureland. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest ecosystems, potentially shifting suitable habitat to higher elevations where little suitable terrain remains.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species is endemic to montane cloud forests in the Ecuadorian Andes, typically occurring at elevations between 2,800-3,200 meters. It inhabits the understory and edges of humid cloud forest characterized by persistent fog, epiphyte-laden trees, and high moisture levels.

Grassland· major

Other threatened species in ASTERACEAE

EN

Bidens cosmoides

Declining
VU

Piptolepis monticola

Unknown
Libanothamnus parvulusCR

Libanothamnus parvulus

Declining
EN

Gynoxys neovelutina

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Aetheolaena hypoleuca classified as Critically Endangered?
Aetheolaena hypoleuca is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Aetheolaena hypoleuca faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in the Ecuadorian Andes. The species' restriction to a few isolated cloud forest fragments makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation from cattle grazing and conversion to pastureland. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest ecosystems, potentially shifting suitable habitat to higher elevations where little suitable terrain remains.
Where does Aetheolaena hypoleuca live?
Aetheolaena hypoleuca occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Aetheolaena hypoleuca?
The main threats to Aetheolaena hypoleuca are 5.3, ai-1, ai-2, and ai-3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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