Ascarina marquesensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Ascarina marquesensis faces severe threats from invasive plant species that outcompete native vegetation and alter forest composition in the Marquesas Islands. Habitat degradation from introduced ungulates, particularly feral pigs and goats, damages the understory where this endemic shrub grows. The species' extremely limited range on just a few islands makes it highly vulnerable to stochastic events and ongoing human pressures.
Habitat
This endemic shrub inhabits the humid montane forests of the Marquesas Islands, typically growing in the understory of native forest remnants at higher elevations. It requires the specific microclimate conditions found in these isolated Pacific island forests.