Aetheolaena ledifolia
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Aetheolaena ledifolia faces severe threats from ongoing habitat destruction in Ecuador's cloud forests, where agricultural expansion and cattle ranching continue to fragment its extremely limited range. Mining activities and infrastructure development pose additional pressures on the remaining patches of suitable habitat. Climate change threatens to shift the narrow altitudinal zones where this species can survive, potentially eliminating critical habitat conditions.
Habitat
This critically endangered shrub is endemic to Ecuador's cloud forests, occurring in montane humid forests at elevations between 2,800-3,200 meters. It requires the specific microclimate conditions found in these high-altitude cloud forest ecosystems, including consistent moisture and cool temperatures.