CR

Aster quitensis

Unknown

Overview

Aster quitensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found only in Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It holds the world record for the rarest Aster species, as there is only one collection of it.

Aster quitensis faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban expansion and agricultural conversion in its limited Andean range. Climate change poses an additional critical threat, as rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns threaten the specific high-altitude conditions this species requires. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to any localized disturbances or environmental changes.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered plant species is endemic to high-altitude Andean environments, typically found in páramo grasslands and alpine meadows between 3,000-4,200 meters elevation. It occupies specialized microhabitats with specific soil and moisture conditions in the montane ecosystems of South America.

Forest· 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 Aster quitensis classified as Critically Endangered?
Aster quitensis 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. Aster quitensis faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban expansion and agricultural conversion in its limited Andean range. Climate change poses an additional critical threat, as rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns threaten the specific high-altitude conditions this species requires. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to any localized disturbances or environmental changes.
Where does Aster quitensis live?
Aster quitensis 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 Aster quitensis?
The main threats to Aster quitensis are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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